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REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 8, 2011 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis asked if when this complex was envisioned, was the Park <br />Board was involved? Was a plan drawn up and discussed with the City Administration <br />and a bill drawn up for funding to be approved? He stated that with the project for <br />Miracle Park, he did not see a plan prior and now asking for funding on something that <br />they don’t even know what is being approved. He stated that it puts the Council in a <br />tough position with the community. The taxpayers are not going to attack Mr. St. Clair; <br />they are going to get at the Council. He stated that it makes him feel really unhappy <br />about how this works, it is almost disrespectful, not saying because Mr. St. Clair did it <br />solely, but in the process of getting these things done, please don’t take this as him <br />blasting Mr. St. Clair, but what he is getting at is that he thinks that the process should <br />have gone to within the Park Department and the Administration and doing a proposal, <br />they have found four or five companies who are consultants who could possibly do the <br />job, these are their prices, this is what we are looking and they ask for an appropriation of <br />$200,000 can you approve it. He stated this is backwards. Miracle Park is going to <br />happen, then they want to do it; then they think we should go find some consultants, give <br />us $200,000. If the Council says no, then everybody is looking at them, like we don’t <br />want to see it happen. Not exactly, there is an order of how things need to take place and <br />the Council is being put in the spot light on this project and he does not appreciate it. He <br />stated that Mayor Luecke used to be a former Councilmember and now Mayor, and he <br />knows how things work. He stated that he is not comfortable with saying yes to <br />$200,000 because he does not know what it is going to be used for. He stated that he <br />shouldn’t have to go through all that, what he should have to do as a Councilmember is <br />go through a proposal that is presented to the Council, and look to see what the project is <br />and how the project is going to be funded. Then go from that point forward. He stated <br />that is how he looks at it and he is not speaking for the rest of the Council. <br />Councilmember Henry Davis stated that he is going on record not supporting a $200,000 <br />appropriation if he does not know what it is going to be used for. He stated that there are <br />other projects within the Parks Department such as just getting the trash dumpsters. <br /> <br />Councilmember Puzzello stated that Mr. St.Clair has done a fine job of outlining this <br />project. They are interested in building this park, they found out would use the park, who <br />has the need for the park, how successful it is likely to be, talked to a lot of organization <br />about it found out exactly how you build a park of this kind and now they have laid out <br />where they had hoped to have the park so, anybody who talked to Mr. St. Clair knew a lot <br />about what the plans were. <br /> <br />Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand stated that at this point questions from the <br />Council only to the presenters. She stated that it is questions only from the Council, and <br />then the public portion, then the Council can make their comments during the Council <br />Portion. <br /> <br />Chairperson Rouse agreed with the Council Attorney and stated that the Council can <br />make their comments during the Council Portion of the meeting. <br /> <br />Councilmember Kirsits asked if an entirely different location was being looked at. <br /> <br />Mr. St. Clair stated yes. <br /> <br />Councilmember White asked for the total project cost of Miracle Park. <br /> <br />Mr. St. Clair stated that without doing a feasibility study, we initially thought that the cost <br />with land acquisition, infrastructure and development of the core aspects of the park it <br />would be about 3 million dollars maximum. Again, there are some things that need to be <br />researched to confirm a good number. Mr. St. Clair stated that the Council may be under <br />the spot light, but it is a good spot light. This is a good opportunity to plan and why they <br />are asking for the money to be appropriated so that they can come back with a specific <br />plan. <br /> <br /> 11 <br /> <br />