City Council Workshop Meeting
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Mt. Vernon City Council met for a Workshop Meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, February 25, 2008 in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Mayor Mary Jane Chesley called the meeting to order and stated that this is a Workshop Meeting so no action can be taken, discussion only. The purpose of this Workshop Meeting is for discussion and updates on the Comprehensive Plan for the City.
Roll call showed present: Council Member Shirlyn Holt, Council Member Mike Walker, Council Member David Wood and Mayor Mary Jane Chesley. Absent: Council Member Mary Burgan.
Mayor Mary Jane Chesley introduced Mr. Eric White, Consultant from DMI to update Council on the work his company has done to date on the Comprehensive Plan for the City. Mr. White introduced Mr. Ryan Kanallekan one of his associates that will also be working on the City’s plan. Mr. White stated that DMI is excited to be working on this plan for the City. Mr. White stated that DMI’s proposal was based on the RFP. Basically the City wants to know “Where are we now”. Mr. White stated that the City needs to establish their committees and begin to appoint persons to be on each committee. There should be a Chairperson appointed to each committee to come back and work on the Steering Committee. The committees should then begin gathering data.
Mr. White stated that DMI has done an analysis of the community and will work with the committees. Mr. White stated that actually the fewer committees there are and the less persons on each committee should make it easier to work together. Discussion was held regarding having 5 persons on most of the committees with one Council Member on each committee as an ex-officio member. A chairperson will be decided on for each committee.
Mayor Chesley stated that the Steering Committee would have a person from each of the other committees to work with and to receive reports from. Mayor
Chesley stated that this Comprehensive Plan is not just a City project, but it is a Community Project and we need input from everyone.
Eric White of DMI stated that as far as the committees, we should keep it simple.
Discussion was held regarding the formation of committees. Council Member Mike Walker stated that we need to get ahead of the curve on financing for future expenses. We need a vision statement. Council Member David Wood stated that we need to add a Finance Committee to our list of committees.
Council Member Shirilyn Holt stated that she would like to address affordable housing, quality of housing, existing housing, education, especially K-12 grades. She stated that we have two school buildings right now that are sitting empty and they could remain an asset. Mrs. Holt also stated that additional green space and land use needs to be looked at.
Council Member Mike Walker stated that the Finance Department is basically the ones to address the financial portion of this project.
It was discussed to have 5 committees. Infrastructure, Land Use, Economic Growth, Quality of Life and Finance. Mr. White of DMI recommended having an Ex-Officio on each committee except the Finance committee.
Shirilyn Holt stated that she would like to be on the Quality of Life Committee. Council Member Mary Burgan would be on the Economic Growth Committee, Mike Walker would be on the Land Use Committee and Council Member Wood on the Infrastructure Committee.
Council Member David Wood stated that each Council Member should submit names to the Mayor for each committee so she can go over them and submit them to Council for advice and consent. Mr. Wood spoke about the committees staying in contact with each other by way of e-mail and how it could work. Each committee could let each other know when their meetings would be and other communications.
Mayor Mary Jane Chesley stated that there is a need for a meeting for Vision Statements and Mission Statements. We have the Prager Study and the DMDC Study of Plans to look at and use. Mayor Chesley stated that she would like to be the Ex-Officio on the Steering Committee.
Mr. Eric White stated that in the next 30 days or so, or by April 1, he would like to see the authorization of the Committees.
Council agreed to set another meeting for March 31, 2008 at 4PM as a Workshop Meeting again.
Mayor Chesley stated that this is making history and she is very excited about this project.
Mayor Chesley declared this Workshop Meeting closed.