06-22-15 Common Council Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING JUNE 22, 2015 the Council is not executive but to make sure the money is in the bank. So we came last year and made sure the money was there for the Parks Department which was needed to cut all those yards, so they can hire summer youth programs, individual people if they will, we took care of that. We had a balanced budget. Then in January they came back as they wanted money to raise more fees. I said then if we pass this you will come back in the summer time and ask for more money; well, here we are now. So I ask myself what happened to the money why do you keep coming back. The 1962 rule, with all due respect to the person who wrote it, the issue is not the rule but the issue is it's not enforced. You can have the best rule whether created in 1955, 45, or 62 but if you are not having enforcement with it what can you do? You can pass all the rules in the world, I can make all these rules to my daughter you're going be home at 10 o'clock, you're going to do this, you're going to do that and if not I'm going to take it away. If I never take anything away then I'm not doing anything but blowing hot air. My job is to make sure the money is there. That's the Mayor's job to make sure the yards and everything is cut; then to not have Parks here. Our President tonight opened up by thanking Crystal Briscoe, John Martinez, and Brian Pawlowski from the Mayor's office. I wish I could thank them too. They talk to him, they talk to the sponsors. But when it comes to this meeting they didn't show up, when we had our afternoon meeting they didn't show up, when we had a meeting last Tuesday they didn't show up. If we have a legal budget why would we pass anything it the legal team didn't show up. If we have a code meeting and the code people don't show up why would we pass the budget? If we have Parks and they don't show up why are we going to pass something? If my daughter needed money and she didn't show up to get the money, why would I give her the money? It doesn't make any sense. If she really wanted to go on the trip, she needed make sure she would come get the money. These folks aren't even showing up. I asked this Council and I'm going to ask again tonight, can we just delay this to July 13' so we can have a meeting and talk and get some of things out the way and clear it up. Then we may pass the bill. This should have been brought up during budget time anyway. Tonight if we were to pass all these fees, if we didn't have to delay everything, the amount of fees on solid waste and all this in one night, that's ridiculous. All of that should have been brought up during budget time as well. At least they are giving us ahead of time for the budget. For us to pass all this now, that is not the Council's responsibility. We have done our job, for over the last few years, I've questioned. For Mr. Banicki and all those who came in from the 6" District, the grass is a mess in 6" district. They have cited them all, they're over at the Parks department. If he needed more people he should have told us. We asked him if he had enough people last year. Now he doesn't even come back to say that they need something in that department. Why should I give the department or the Mayor any more money when they don't take the time to come here? That's not fair. I'm asking in all fairness to the administration to show up on July 13th, there is no rush between two (2) weeks, the grass can grow one (1) more inch. This is really ridiculous, this has been my number one complaint. It looks targeted that 6" District grass did not get cut last year; it looks targeted because 2 °d District didn't get cut. That is my number one complaint when I go to Kroger's. It is interesting, Randy has done his job, much respect to you. Now they come back and here we go again, so no money from me. Councilmember Karen White — I would like to share that the intent of this ordinance is to address a major problem which is the cutting of lawns. In terms of code, this is the second leading category of complaints. I think every Councilmember here can attest that the citizens, who we've been elected to serve, have approached each and every one of us in regards to not only this issue but a number of issues. I would not sit in this seat and not indicate that enforcement is an issue. We as a Council need to find means to address this issue as well. It is a work in progress as with any ordinance. We can continue to work through it, to modify it, and to address it as well. I am asking for your support. I am asking for the Council to work together as we address not only this issue but other issues as well. I go back to my earlier statement, it was the Council that was able to push forward the whole issue of illegal dumping that came from Councilmember Henry Davis within the 2 °d district. There was a disproportionate number of illegal dumping in that area. It was this Council that pushed forward the graffiti, it was this council that worked with chronic nuances; all of that came through this council. I want you to look at the substitute bill that is before you. I ask for your support as we do move forward knowing that there is a number of areas we need to address. One of which is Parks and working with the administration. I agree with Councilmember Davis that they should have been here. 15