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REGULAR MEETING <br />May 9, 2016 <br />Councilmember Voorde stated one of things he liked about the Elbel Committee was that it had a <br />forty -five day time limit. That would help if we are going to create committees designated <br />towards one particular issue we should have some self - imposed deadline. <br />Council Attorney Cekanski - Farrand reported that this resolution does have a forty -five (45) day <br />timeline. <br />Councilmember Jo M. Broden stated as someone who called for a special committee there were <br />reasons for why she supported that due to the way the issue came to the Council. She stated she <br />was happy and grateful of the support they received from the Council and from the public. <br />However, the Council can over the special committees and step into things that are not our <br />domain. These seem to be administrative issues and there are times and places where public <br />input is needed and solicited. She stated she would like to see this go back and see if this has <br />been brought up and looked at to see if this falls into the purview of a certain department. If this <br />is something that we want nine (9) members to advise the Park Board then that decision should <br />be theirs. It is her opinion that at the Park Board there is an advisory committee or work group <br />that is citizen lead. There are ways to supplement what our staff can provide and what the Park <br />Board can do. We do need public input but it doesn't always have to be in this form because we <br />should not be doing the work of the Administration and the people who are tasked with these <br />issues. We do have a role when we see that the process is not working then we look for and ask <br />for changes. These are time and resource consuming committees to do. There are open door law <br />requirements that need to be adhered to and it can go wrong pretty quickly. Councilmember <br />Broden stated that does not mean she does not support dog parks but just put it in the place it <br />belongs and make sure we are pressing the issue in the departments that it belongs. <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis gave the example of the redevelopment of Lincolnway and <br />Western streets came from a resolution of the Council. A resolution simply guides where the <br />Council thinks policy should go. It does not make sense to veto a resolution. This a guidepost to <br />come and provide a vision of where to go that's why there is no binding to it. This already has a <br />forty -five (45) day shut off period and by June it will be over. We don't go to the Park Board as <br />individual councilmembers and express our opinions but this resolution has everyone come <br />together and a place to talk where there is no overreach. <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis made a motion to override the Mayor's Veto on Bill 16 -46. <br />Councilmember Regina Williams- Preston seconded the motion which failed by a roll call vote of <br />five (5) ayes and four (4) nays. (Council President Tim Scott, Councilmember Jo M. Broden, <br />Councilmember Randy Kelly and Councilmember Gavin Ferlic.) (The Council needs six (6) <br />votes to override a Mayoral Veto.) <br />NEW BUSINESS <br />There was no new business. <br />PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR <br />S.J. Szabo, offices on the 1300 block of Mishawka Ave, spoke against the proposed building of a <br />Firehouse on Potawatomi Park. The Mayor's campaign can be described by lying, cheating and <br />stealing. The end result was preordained before the show began and the only input they wanted <br />was the input that agreed with them. Those that disagreed were denigrated, discredited and <br />ultimately ignored. They lie when they insist it is only about the free land. Every viable <br />alternative that involves purchasing land is rejected out of hand. In this way at least two (2) <br />better solutions that do not take park land remain unexplored. There has been lots of spin on this <br />issue as well. An objective examination of the problem reveals different solutions. Then there is <br />the preposterous argument that a few superfluous programs would make the fire station a park <br />amenity. Meanwhile the City's legal team is putting the finishing touches on the strategy to cheat <br />the park's covenant that clearly and unequivocally requires that Potawatomi Park land is to be <br />used exclusively for park functions only. Not only is the park not the only possible solution it is <br />not even the best, it is only the cheapest. The sad ironic thing about this is that the Park Board is <br />23 <br />