By Jim Sack
Last night’s council meeting was so boring that a council member resorted to text messages to keep reporters awake.
Often, meetings are “highlighted” by some sort of public fight on a budget item, a point of order, the direction in which the city is perceived to be leading, or misleading the community. There was scant little of that last night. It was a much more subtle clash of ideas.
Eight members present, one member absent, chimed City Clerk Sandy Kennedy. In the gallery were the deputy mayor Greg Purcell, Parks Director Al Moll, , Board of Works chair Bobby Kennedy, Economic Development Director Greg Leatherman, PR woman Rachel Blakeman and a few others who paraded to the witness chair at the council table to explain requests for funds or for policy change.
Another labor contract came to the table. Al Moll and a union rep for the IBEW pitched together, showed harmony and solidarity and won a 7 to 1 vote. The union, which cares for the city parks, got a 1.5% raise, consistent with most other city employees. Glynn Hines took a jab at Liz Brown, the lone dissenting vote, by saying we all want our parks beautiful, which they are, but want to penalize the ones who do the hard work. He looked at Brown when he made his comment. Council woman Brown sat quietly.
Chief Rusty York also came to the table to pitch a contract with Verizon for aircards to facilitate communications from patrol cars to central computers. Discussion followed and, within the context of the Q&A Mitch Harper asked a series of questions about old rape kits and whether they are being reviewed to crack old cases. They are not. Too expensive, said the chief. Mr. Harper said that would be money wisely spent and more than a few heads around the table nodded ascent. (Here I asked myself why the chief was coming to the table rather than his principle deputy? Seemed the aircard matter could have been handled on a lower level allowing the chief to focus on strategy, not tactics, or equipment, as was the case last night.)
There was also a curious zoning matter at the table, rezoning of a few parcels along Lake just west of Coliseum (remember when that was Bueter Road?). The request was recommended out of the zoning board with a do not pass, thumbs down. That, in itself, was unusual. Councilman Tom Smith noted that the applicant, who was not named, had been about as uncooperative with the zoning board as anyone in Smith’s many years on the organization. The matter was unanimously voted down by council. One council member said that all is asked is cooperation and consultation, this applicant had offered scant little of either.
Finally, Alissa McGauley came then to the table to pitch for new economic development zones, areas where businesses could apply for tax abatements on new investment. She gave a rather lengthy discourse on the history and applications of the zones and why they are useful. She then described almost a dozen new districts, mostly in the city’s northwest quadrant. As the discussion progressed she handed out a list of “successes,” numerous businesses that had taken advantage of the program and invested, reinvested and reinvigorated their businesses, to the supposed benefit of the community. On the list was Barry Real Estate, the company that has so far failed to construct the condos that were touted as an essential part of the new ballpark. Councilman Mitch Harper called Mrs. McGauley’s attention to the dubious inclusion.
Mr. Shoaff also took issue with the economic development department for not working more closely with existing neighborhoods to take their concerns into account. It should be noted that Mr. Shoaff has become the most outspoken champion for neighborhoods among members of council. He frequently challenges the administration plans to widen, the dig, to redevelop when neighborhoods will be effected. He wants the “silent majority” of home owner to have a voice too, before the traffic engineers run a four lane road through their bedrooms. Often, he says, plans are well along in the bowels of some planning agency before the neighborhood or home owners, those whose lives will be most disrupted, are informed. Mrs. McGauley admitted that her department does not contact the neighborhoods, only the businesses in the area. She seemed willing to add neighborhood contacts to her list.
So, no sparks flew, no flares of temper or clashes of wills. It was, in fact, a rather efficient discussion of projects and proposals with precious little rancor, the way it should be more often. The eight present members worked quite smoothly.
Oh, an the absent council member: Tim Pape.
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Nice post, although I knew the last line would contain the name of my Councilman. I am being served so well.