06/03/2008 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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,~ ~/~' f 1 ~' ~f4t4.i~ Council Minutes of 6/3/2008 current law. Appreciates it is difficult to hand back power once you have it, but. for good of the city asks that Council do that. Encourages support of the legislation so that select directors do not become law breakers; and, more importantly, so that his administrative policy requiring the attendance of all five directors can take precedence. Councilman Gareau took exception to the Mayor's suggestion that comments by an elected official caused damage to the recreation negotiation process. At no point or at any time in the discussion at any of the committee meetings, at any of the communications, or any of the discussions that anyone had, could any reasonable interpretation conclude an attempt to damage or in any way hinder the ability to negotiate that contract. The questions that were asked were thoughtful, and he thought that people gave certain respect to the forum which they were in. Why the process never came together, he is not sure he will fully ever know. If in saying elected officials the Mayor is referring to Council, he certainly doesn't believe any one of them did that. To ask a question, to have a criticism, to inquire is Council's job. He does not believe that at any point that anybody could possibly have come to the conclusion that Council somehow broke up a possible partnership with the YMCA. Mayor O'Grady answered he felt there was damage to the process. He made the comments not with the intention of holding up anyone to public scorn, but more with the intention of ensuring that it doesn't happen again. The important lesson from this is that the Council must understand that it is not their responsibility to negotiate. Rather it is the Council's responsibility once the issue is brought forward to them, that they analyze it, make comments, make suggestions with. regard to that. There were thoughtful questions; there were good questions and good comments. There was also outright criticism that he would say was unwarranted. When the administration is in the process of negotiations and elected officials who will soon be considering this are criticizing the process, it does damage. He asked it not occur again. Councilman Gareau said he could not disagree more with the Mayor. His criticism was unwarranted. Council is here to analyze, and one person's analytical questions or thought provoking query is another person's criticism. Would the citizens be better served. if Council did not ask a tough question? He noted the Mayor made contact with the YMCA at the public meeting of June 2007. So long before any discussion took place with this body, long before Mr. Mahoney chaired a meeting, there had to be at least eight months of discussions that could have been going on with the YMCA. He believes it's a scapegoat to suggest that City Council members or some elected official in their analysis of a proposal somehow damaged or hindered the Mayor's ability to bring together a deal. Mayor O'Grady said it was part of a two-year effort. There is no problem with good, critical questions-those are fine. There is a vast difference between a good question about the process and what's happening versus criticism because the process had not yet been completed and brought to Council. Council is welcome to call him with questions. Law Director Dubelko: 1) Attended the BZD Committee meeting on June 27 to make recommendations to City Council regarding the issue of extending the temporary conditional use permit for Suburban Collision for atwo-year period to induce Suburban to commit $300,000+ in improvements. The improvement is really an entirely new filtration system in order to reduce the odors which have been detected by neighboring residents who live immediately north of the facility. He would urge all of Council to vote 4