At the end of the meeting, which only started 2 minutes late, someone called the Mayor “7:30 Soglin”. Question is, will this short meeting trend continue? Or will the council find something to talk about?
ROLL CALL
All present and on time.
SUSPENSION OF THE RULES
The mayor tried to do this without objection, but Cnare insisted on explaining what they were doing.
HONORING RESOLUTION
Cinco de Mayo Resolution
Kent Craig, the Executive Director of Centro Histpano thanks them for the resolution, says previous resolutions are at Centro hanging on the wall. These are just words, but it means a lot to the community, they appreciate you taking time to do this, while other legislative bodies find obstacles to education for immigrant youth, you recognize positive contributions.
Tim Bruer asks to add the whole council as sponsors to all three resolutions, no one objects.
Soglin asks to read three paragraphs of the resolution.
WHEREAS, the City of Madison recognizes its diversity as one of its greatest strength and appreciates the culture and history of our various communities of people, all of whom add to the greatness of our City; and
WHEREAS, Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, is an event of historical significance and profound meaning to Mexicans and Mexican Americans; and,
WHEREAS, this event marked by festivities that illustrate the pride of the Mexican community is a fitting means by which to commemorate a defining moment in Mexican history, and it is furthermore appropriate that Madisonians of all cultural backgrounds join with our Mexican and Mexican-American friends in celebrating the ideals of friendship and liberty,
Lauren Cnare says she is on the redistricting committee and they are looking at the population numbers and there has been significant growth of this community and she welcomes them.
Mario Garcia Sierra, a member of the public who was late was allowed to speak. He says he was from Guatemala, has has been here for 8 years. He has been working at Centro, working with youth for three years, just came to the meeting from a celebration for end of program. He thanks them, he says we know the history, this means way more than drinking beer and having fun. For immigrants who have come from the south this means that we still have a long way to go. There are lots of challenges we face on a daily basis and the only way to move forward is to work together. Last week the White House and Department of Education released a report, it highlights that the Latino community has the lowest education around the country, but it is the community that is growing the fastest, so if we care about the future of this country, and want it to be best in education, and have strong economy we need to be working more towards creating and developing the youth in our schools. This is related to Cinco de Mayo and thank you for the gesture and he looks forward to working with the council on issues effecting the young and our community in general.
Mayor Paul Soglin presents the plaque to Craig and Garcia Sierra.
Motion passes unanimously on a voice vote.
Two other honoring resolutions
Item 2, honoring Karla Smith is referred so the family can be in attendance. Passes unanimously on a voice vote without discussion.
Item 3, Proclaiming May 1-7, 2011 as Public Service Recognition Week in the City of
Madison.
Mayor Soglin says there will be a ceremony on the steps of the city-county building at noon tomorrow. (i.e. today)
That passes unanimously on a voice vote without discussion.
LIMBO
They have no speakers or public comment, there are only a few registrants on 16 and 17 that are available to answer questions. It’s not 6:45 yet so they can’t move on to public hearings. They try to decide what to do.
Cnare says she can talk for three minutes on the consent agenda.
CONSENT AGENDA
Cnare explains the consent agenda. She says that they will pass everything except public hearing items 4 – 31, that number 4 will be referred to September 6, item 35 (emergency successors to the mayor) needs 15 votes and they will record that as unanimous unless there are objections, number 75 (public market) is a reconsideration, and they excluded 37 & 38 (reports on women, people of color and people with disabilities), 76 (showing ordinance) will be rereferred to housing and 77 (quarterly tax payments) to be rereferred to city county liaison committee.
The motion to suspend the rules passes.
Cnare moves approval of the consent agenda, someone seconds, there are no other separations.
Mayor asks if this includes the last minute item, they say yes.
As they try to figure out what to do next, they note the clocks are slow and move on to the public hearings.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
They refer item 4 (Allied Drive) to the first meeting in September. No discussion, passes on a voice vote.
They moved approval of the Board of Public Works, item 5. No discussion, passes on a voice vote.
The take up the Report of the Street Use Staff Team, they move to adopt items 6 – 31. Clear asks that they open the public hearings en masse. The open public hearing on 6 – 31. They make a close hearing on 6 – 15 and 18 – 31. They pass those items without discussion.
The Mayor separated items 16 and 17. They took them up separately. There were two registrants in support and available to answer questions on each of them. It was the same two registrants. There were no questions, the public hearings were closed, there was no discussion and they passed it on a voice vote.
STATUS OF WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN HIRING IN TOP MANAGEMENT POSITIONS AND ON COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS
Lisa Subeck asked for them to be separated and wants to take the together.
The mayor asks if there is any objection to taking up item 38 as well, there are no objections.
Subeck says she separated it to highlight the importance of the work done til now to increase women and minorities on boards and in employment. She talked with Lucia Nunez because she had questions about recommendations, she wants Nunez to talk about recommendations, some that are not in the shorter version of the report.
Lucia Nunez, introduces herself and says she is the Director of the Department of Civil Rights ans she welcomes the new members and says she is looking forward to working with them. She says two years ago when Brenda Konkel was on the council she worked with the Affirmative Action Commission to look at commissions, committees and boards and top management positions and the gender and racial/ethnic makeup. They are looking at certain positions and committees, with the committee process, the mayor’s office collects all applications, the applicant pool is where appointments are made, self disclosure is strictly voluntary, many don’t fill it out. That is where they get the information you are reading, not necessarily best way to do it, some are not filling it out. One of the suggestions is to send disclosure form when send out statement of interests so they have another opportunity to fill it out, so we have the best info possible, we can guess about gender but can’t guess on race and ethnicity. This is a good way to get an idea if we are representing Madison in its true form, it’s a good tool for you when recommending people. One need is to really address is the Asian community, but that is one of the areas we need to make an effort with targeted outreach. For employment they looked at just the top positions, comp groups 44, 18, attorneys, fire and police and department heads. Fire dept one of worst dept throughout the report, there are retirements and you are seeing a period where it is down, they do incredible recruitment and they are one of the best in diversity, so you are seeing a point where they are not the best, they are working to figure out how to cast a wider net, trying to get the word out and look at promotional opportunities for women, that’s the quick version.
Shiva Bidar Sielaff asks about committees and commissions, can we find out what the pool of applicants looks like for these categories. There are two issues, one is recruiting and then appointing – is there a discrepancy there or not?
Nunez says a pool of applicants is an ongoing process, they stay on the list until opening occurs, there are not deadlines, many don’t fill out the disclosure forms so we don’t know. We could get you a snap shot of that, but not one of the best it systems, not the greatest so continuously work on making it better.
Bidar-Sielaff wants to know about staff and salary gaps between men and women, which is not surprising, can we do better as a city – has human resources dug deep into why this exists.
Nunez says that they take the average of all of these, police, fire etc, but if you look at individual category, gap almost nonexistent when you look at them on their own. The gap appears when average all of them together, future reports they will include that, it’s not zero but more respectable.
Anita Weier says she is struck by percentages for women in management and board and commission members, hopes it can be higher.
The reports pass without further discussion.
PUBLIC MARKET RECONSIDERATION
Cnare makes the motion to reconsider, someone seconds. Mayor Soglin asks her to take the chair.
Mayor Soglin addresses the council. Mayor says this was on the Board of Estimates the day before the council meeting and he couldn’t attend, this was during the transition, he got briefed that day, he had questions and didn’t ask for separation. In the last two weeks there was more discussion, he had concerns about size of the contract and was not sure this is going to answer the questions and issues regarding the public market, block 88 and 105. There are two ways to look at it, what should go on blocks 105 and 88, parking ramp is there and consensus is that it should be replaced with parking ramp, hotel also seems to have consensus, there is also the question of city offices, but larger question as to what if anything else should be added, that question is not should we put a public market there, but what are the best uses of the site. Another set of questions is related to where to put the public market, some of this is addressed in previous studies, but before we go forward, would like more time to meet with plan staff to be assured that we have completely covered the issues to examine under these circumstances and that we are making the right purchase in this contract. That is why asking referral.
Mark Clear asks city attorney to enlighten us to the procedure.
City Attorney Michael May says the motion pending is reconsider, its a majority vote. If it passes, then bring item 75 before the body as if not taken up before, if it fails to pass then item 75 considered passed like was at prior meeting. There is a procedure to refer reconsideration to the next meeting, if the motion passes it could be referred to the plan commission.
Larry Palm asks city attorney, if not re-referred what are other mayor’s options, can he not sign an agreement, or veto it?
May says that already passed at prior meeting, proceedings approved, veto has to be done in 5 days, he can’t veto and can’t veto reconsideration. If it fails, he can come back with a different type of resolution, but ultimately council has approved it and he has to sign it, they can delay for a while, but if approved, the mayor has obligation to sign it. Clearly if there is a serious problem, he can come back and ask to do something different and that is what you might get at end of agenda on B-cycle. If approve reconsideration refer to mayor’s office and say yes go ahead or make changes.
Palm asks what happens if Common Wealth chooses not to sign.
May says they can’t compel them to sign.
Mayor Paul Soglin says if vetod and council fails to override, then whole matter is dead then nothing is before us, that is why he did not vet. He says that going back to when they purchased the Madison bus company, the mayor refused to sign and one day the Mayor was in Maple Bluff, the president of council asked clerk to deliver contract and they did and they signed it, so you can outlast the mayor.
ROLL CALL VOTE ON RECONSIDERATION
Everyone votes yes except the first time through King and Maniaci passed. Phair, Rummel, Subeck and Clear voted no.
MOTION
They made a motion to refer 75 to June 7th.
Satya Rhodes-Conway was called on. She said she wanted to hear from Rummel.
Marsha Rummel says she had gone back and forth on this and in recognition of the new mayor who wants to touch everything (missed some), but she brought her file folder from last year, they looked at it many times for many years. The mayor didn’t like Brayton and put the kibosh on it. They looked at Union Corners, Maurtz and Government East and heads over heals this is the best location. Then the magic synergy with high speed rail happened, its a good idea and great location, it now in the planning process. She is reading applications for block 105, it will include looking at the public market, when look at big framework, it is not a done deal that it is a public market, this is for a detailed plan, project management and fundraising to look at if this is the site is right. Council can look at this again, the goal is linkage of the local food economy venders and they hope minority business owners will be a part of it, they need to look at economic development of it. If we had a pile of money would this be the goal? It is already being called the public market area in city palns – if referred to it that is what it is, is it good to do it again, we have looked at it for a long time and best use is a parking ramp and first floor retail, what would it be? It’s not retail now, its a wasteland, but that is not reason not to do it. Is it the best location? It’s a darn good one, can’t just pick up but has to be an economic benefit. Either way this is not a fail, the time will be well used but we’ve come a long way and respect whatever decision comes down.
Rhodes-Conway says if it fails, they need another motion to adopt, right?
May confirms.
Rhodes-Conway says she is sympathetic on all sides, understands desire to look into it more, there is a short transition time, doesn’t allow enough time to be familiar with larger projects before the city, this project, public market and two blocks in question are worth getting right, to get it right need to take time to do it, need to ask right questions, however questions around where public market should be was asked and answered, not don’t need to revisit. May need to ask about best uses of the blocks, but this contract is not the place to do it. Previous mayor signed contract that would lead to answer of those questions, they should not refer, should readopt and stick with initial option. For new alders, there may be question of if interested or they can support. The public market could be important piece of local food system, she can envision the public market not well connected to that, but can imagine one that is, she thinks this is probably the right place for it and thinks what is before them. She would encourage the mayor to ask questions about what is best use, doesn’t think this is best place to do it.
Bridget Maniaci says she supports referral, this is ¼ million dollars for the public market would like time for it to be looked at. They only spend $200K for consultants on E Washington and 1/4 million will go into the public market, she has some hesitation about it, fine with brief referral.
Clear says he is confused about what his colleagues are saying, he agrees with support to move forward, so why support reconsideration? If not reconsider it moves forward, also confused by Maniaci since this didn’t come up on April 19th. He will support referral, otherwise mayor will veto, that’s not productive.
Cnare asks Steven Cover, Director of Planning and Community and Economic Development Department what a 30 day referral would accomplish and as a professional planner, can this be lifted out and done separately or value in holding it back.
Cover says one of the reasons they are interested in referral is they want to make sure they had the best opportunity to ID the best opportunities and uses for the site. 30 days is adequate and will be able to revisit the contract and make sure in sync with the effort being undertaken. Proposals are submitted, they have top notch talent for the project, want to make sure in sync with that and no redundancies in the contract as well.
Shiva Bidar-Sielaff will support referral as a courtesy to the mayor knowing transition is short, but caution against reconsideration of those items that those of us on the council have been discussing and make sure we have new information to reconsider, understands we are in transition do think it is ok, but would like to ask courtesy back to the council a memo or summary of findings.
The mayor nods indicating he will do that.
Bidar-Sielaff says that if there is enlightening information, a new route, another way to look at it, she wants it from the mayor in advance of when it comes back so all have time to familiarize themselves with the info.
Larry Palm says it is appropriate to revisit, the pending budget discussion can shift priorities, this is the start of a long process, this will cost a lot of money, how will they pay for existing things, they can’t stop doing roads, not adding roads but fixing them. This is entirely appropriate for us and mayor to look at what we have. Not only appropriate but mandated by financial situation, we shouldn’t be naively following what we previously decided, that is not the best course.
Chris Schmidt echos Bidar-Sielaff’s comments about reconsideration, aside from courtesy, he’d remind them that they are looking at a major planning process, but we need buy in from everyone, he didn’t want to revisit, can accept doing it for a month to get people on the same page, remind everyone that this site, hotel and office issues, parking lot to design, a lot of questions out there.
Jill Johnson wants to chime in with what Palm said, appreciates the fact to indulge us on this, she also is being indulged, in the court system they call it “sober second thought”, she echoes Palm about budget issues and when environment changes to extent it has, many might have to be reexamined, and would ask for flexibility and appreciates what they are doing.
Joe Clausius says with 2012 budget and situation at the capitol, we mentioned many times we have no idea where we will be and courtesy to the new mayor, no problem with referral, and project is surging along while on council, 30 days won’t make a difference, supports referral.
It’s referred to the 1st meeting in June, passed on a voice vote with no audible nos.
FINAL CLEAN UP
Mayor Soglin asks as a matter of person privilege, is it hot in here? Who’s in charge of comfort of the room?
Cnare refers item 76 (showing ordinance)to housing committee – no discussion, passes on voice vote
77 (quarterly tax payments) referred to city county liaison committee.
There is only on item from the floor, its by title only. It the police department accepting the 2011 COPS grant. There is no objection to it being by title only. It is referred to the Board of Estimates.
There are no announcements.
The meeting is done at 7:30.
