07-17-13 Community Realtions - Laserfiche WebLink

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COMMUNITY RELATIONS 5:00 P.M. JULY 17, 2013 Committee Members Present: Oliver Davis, Tim Scott, Dr. David Varner (5:25 p.m.) Other Council Present: Dr. Fred Ferlic, Gavin Ferlic, (left at 5:36 p.m.), Derek Dieter (left at 5:56 p.m.) Others Present: Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sherri Pete, Phil St. Clair, John Voorde, Steve Nemeth, Sally Hintz Malone, Cindi Fenimore, Robin Phillips, Christine Murdock, Rawson Murdock, Christopher Huff, Sister Pam Welch, John Charles Bryant, Catherine Hostetler, Brandon Anderson, Elicia Feasel, Cherri Peate, Jonathon Geels, Toni Cook, Jill LaFountain, Dominick Ciesielski, Deb Kuehn, Ann Leonard Molenda Agenda: Kick -Off City Cemetery Restoration Project Oliver Davis, Chairperson of the Community Relations Committee set this meeting to formally kick -off the City Cemetery Restoration Project. Attention was drawn to the somewhat deteriorated condition of the City Cemetery last spring. Oliver Davis had organized a ceremonial wreath lying at the grave of former Speaker of the House and Vice - President Schuyler Colfax. Noting the neglected condition and vandalized headstones Oliver touched off a groundswell of interest in restoring the cemetery. With today's meeting Liver intends to draw more attention to the restoration effort. Goals, action items, time lines, measurable outcomes and funding sources were all up for consideration by a fast expanding number of stakeholders invited to the meeting. After recounting his own interest in history, Oliver introduced the Mayor and Council Members present allowing brief comments from each. Mayor Buttigieg led off thanking Oliver for sparking a fire of interest while offering wholeheartedly his administrations support. Council President Derek Dieter followed in turn by Councilmembers David Varner, Gavin Ferlic, Dr. Fred Ferlic, and Tim Scott all endorsed the effort. Tim Scott in particular applauded the public - private partnership forming to accomplish the restoration task. Councilmember Oliver Davis then asked each member of the public attending to identify themselves and share their particular interest in the restoration effort. Some describe family connections. Others described work they've volunteered to do through other groups like the genealogical society and historic preservation organization. For example, recent volunteer efforts accomplished the digitization of all the burial records. Others highlighted the potential of on -line interest from organizing volunteer efforts to fund - raising. The real "meat" of the meeting followed with Oliver's slide presentation put together by Council Attorney Kathy Cekanski - Farrand. The agenda and slide presentation along with the attendance sign -in sheet are on file in the Office of the City Clerk. A productive roundtable discussion among Councilmembers and attendees followed while volunteer sum - committee sign -on sheets were circulated. After summary comments Oliver thanked those attending and then set the next meeting for Wednesday, August 21, in the Council Caucus room at 5:00 p.m.