Hmmm . . . I guess.
It’s noon, I’ll attempt to live blog the highlights (meaning, the typing and grammar will be worse than usual!)
Starts late . . . keeping the tradition to the end. Tho, just a few minutes. Everyone here except Brian Solomon. Kerr was here, but stepped out of the room. Rummel also out of the room.
SUSPENSION OF THE RULES
Clear does, no discussion.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT
Cnare moves and Bruer seconds the motion thanking Mark Clear for his service. Mayor reads the resolution. Council and some staff give him a standing ovation. Clear speaks. Says amazing year that started with volcano that kept Mayor and colleagues in Europe for a few weeks and that set the tone for how it was going to go. Will miss the people leaving and looking forward to working with new people.
Mayor says volcano kept them in Europe for three days, not a couple weeks. Clear says it was nerve-wracking few weeks for him.
COUNCIL PRO TEM
Clear moves approval and someone seconded the motion thanking Cnare for her service. Mayor reads the resolution. Room is now standing room only. Council and some staff give her a standing ovation. She says none of this could not happen without all of you, thanks people for stepping forward. She hopes everyone gets to experience council leadership some day.
GOODBYE JED SANBORN
Clear moves the resolution, someone seconds. Mayor reads the resolution. Mayor makes remark about repealing inclusionary zoning when he reads about it being repealed. Standing ovation. He says it was an amazing experience, might be out of step even with district one. Keep in mind as state and federal governments struggle with budgets it will be important for people to know city budgets are in order.
GODDBYE BRYON EAGON
Moved, seconded and read. He had perfect attendance at the council meeting gets applause. Mayor notes he was punctual as well. Thanks friends and family for support. He says he has learned a lot and gotten to know people and are friends. People ask him why not running, he is leaving to Teach for America in New York City, gets applause. Haven’t seen the last of him, he’ll be back in a few years. He was interviewing last week about his experiences and how he will bring them to education. They asked about experience working with children and he said he was on the council in Madison. (laughter) He says he’s learned a lot and we can work across the aisle here (jokes about center-left, left and far left). He hopes contributed as much as learned, hopes leave here as much as he will take away.
Paul Skidmore says finally got someone to right that respects and likes and he’s leaving. He dresses nice so Paul wore a tie. Missed a joke . . .
GOODBYE JULIA KERR
Moves, seconded and read. Ovation. Doesn’t like to follow Bryon, we’ll all be working for him one day. Thanks her husband. Talks about the work he does and she is proud of him. Thanks daughter Claire, she has come to meetings and people have been welcoming. Thanks neighbors and residents of district 13. She will miss many of them. Her advice to rookies: for those coming in, four pieces of advice. 1. Make a friend. Came in with Brian Solomon and Marsha Rummel. You will need those friends, you will needs someone to call at 10:30 on Thursday and say “I blew it.” Listen to the people who come here. Don’t do work on the side. They merit your full attention. 3. Leave it on the floor. At one time or another I’ve hated all of you and you’ve all hated me. If someone has a tough issue, and it will involve sidewalks. Try to do them a solid. 4. You are working for your district. Staff are staff. Mayor looks out for the city, you are the only one who can look out for them. Thanks. She’ll watch them on tv between 6 and 10.
GOODBYE JUDY COMPTON
Moved, seconded, read and standing ovation. She claps. She says she wrote 5 speeches and none of them with her. She sees so much support that she has had. Mary Bean sitting here and was first person I relied on. Thanks Mary. The thanks Cindy Thomas. They were friends and worked on issues together. She thanks Tammy. Ken Golden. One of the people who taught her the most about being an alder. Never known anyone who can bring the Lord and the devil together and make them agree. Fact he is here, not here for me, but here. Thanks Paul Riley for being a resource and Dean Brasser. When I didn’t agree with you, I asked Paul. Fred and Barb Arnold are people she respects and are friends. Not biggest supporters when she was elected. It was three elections before they signed her nomination papers. All of you have people like that in your district. Thanks Mike Verveer and Tim Bruer – Mike has always been supportive. Tim and her don’t always agree but he has information. She lists off another list of staff that she has worked with, couldn’t type fast enough. Says they were people on staff you could trust, they will give you good answers, even when you don’t want to hear them. Compton says King was expecting a chicken but he has to earn it. She says some people were expecting to turn over her poms, but they are not visible, can’t see them, you need to earn them. She didn’t do this for show or honor but did it because it needs to be done. Hopes the new 6 will remember that is why you do it. Missed a bit. She says She won’t be a mentor to Shiva, but she is one of the strongest on the council. Says new people should know elected to serve district first, learn your district and what they represent and come here and represent the,. Second job is to represent the city. Third your own personal politics. She says that is something she has seen on the council. Sad to leave. Came on with contentiousness cuz she was the lone conservative. Thanks people. Apologizes if forgot to mention people.
Steve King says she is 50% of the reason he ran, always managed to catch you talking about chickens. She has been a role model. Objective and sees things from all sides. Appreciates turning around and talking to you. You are the only one besides my mother who started a conversation at work, to garage and half way through cooking dinner, and by conversation is that she talked and listened. Says family lives in South Carolina and hopes when goes there he scan stay with her and not the family.
Paul Skidmore talks but my computer melted down. He ended by saying that shes is one of three people he is afraid of.
Missed what Lauren Cnare said too.
Shiva Bidar-Sielaff thanks her for being her mentor.
GOOD BYE MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
Motion made, seconded, read, and standing ovation. Good afternoon. Asks people to respond. Worried he speech would be too short. Glad when he woke up he didn’t have to deal with the snow, that is for Anita Weier to deal with. Thanks staff, says city attorney is one of the best. He has common sense when tries to share something. Thanks Brad Murphy, Chuck Kamp, etc. etc. etc. Says professionals that represent their departments and staff that stand behind them. He has worked with many of them.He talks about Bill Clingan and how he has changed how we looked at the community services money. Says never asked for Parks or ALRC and wondered why, but liked getting to know the parks. He thanks Deb Archer from Convention and Visitors Bureau. Says they haven’t tapped into those resources, hopes next council will support her and things that we can do more. He has something for the Mayor, you’ve gotten scott-free for 4 years and he is going to have some fun with him. Says that the other night Verveer was driving home and the streets are blocked and he can’t get home and he sees Chief Amesqua and he asks her why he can’t get home. She says teh Mayor is there looking for the $60M in TIF and is threatening to douse himself in gasoline and set himself on fire. Verveer wants to help out and asks what they need. Sorry, computer keyboard sucks .. . anyways, Amesqua says they only have 33 gallons of gas and they need more. Misssed some. He says new council members should fight the good fight, he says he can’t give you advice, he says he didn’t listen 4 years ago. He talks about Alder Bruer. He says when he came on the council he didn’t trust Bruer. He is old schoool He may try to beat you at that game, but he had more loyalty and commitment than any one he has seen. He says to keep your friends close, your enemies closer and Bruer the closest. Thanks leadership. Talks about Bridget and Jed. He says he taught Bridget when she was in 7th grade in Sun Prairie and the difference now is she doesn’t listen. Says he admires Jed for sticking to his principles. Sorry, mykeyboardissucking…..
SORRY ABOUT THE GAP HERE, MYKEYBOARD DECIDED THAT I DIDN’T NEED A SPACE BAR OR A BACKSPACE KEY. GRRRRR. . . . more coming. See a second post on its way.
