Monona Drive and Thuy Alert! she can’t understand 25 cents to pay on line is better than driving downtown to pay in person or paying 44 cents for a stamp and thinks somehow Madisonians are vindictive and will mail in their payments just to get even! Part I is here.
CROSSING GUARDS
This item number 25 was reconsidered because there were several registrants, but none wanted to speak, all were in support and it passes on a voice vote without discussion.
MONONA DRIVE
Public Testimony
Marty Richards lives on the city side of Monona Drive, opposed to widening of the drive, spoke here two weeks ago, not naive, they were well aware this was heading our way, but as people who live near lakeshore know and are acutely aware of lake Monona challenges as development takes place, healthy mature trees are gone and there is more asphalt, at this point, perhaps have plenty of cause to say oh well what can we do, powers hat be have deemed it so, some say its too late, this is a done deal, do it anyways, and sometimes seems downright hopeless. Despite all the voices of protest have been consistent and loud, this project still moves forward, we can see the specter of barrenness creeping toward us – I have here to tell you tonight we still have hope, this is an enlightened city, we respect natural resources, Mayor Cieslewicz is a green mayor, there is not an economic savings or majestically convenient way to leave town at the cost of trees on Mo Drive, that is what we call it, this is our home. This hits us where we live, so to the planners and engineers flexibility, they should look like innovative green things and look forward to future residents, Mo drive can be improved without destroying what is beautiful about it.
Questions
Julia Kerr asks staff about the speakers mention of loss of trees, can you discuss?
Rob Phillips, City Engineer, says issue is geometry on Monona Drive, its a 4 lane undivided roadway today, proposed plan would add bike lanes to Monona Drive, so that work is requiring the widening, 25 – 27 trees affected.
Kerr asks if the widening is attributed just to the bike lanes?
Phillips says true except maybe at Cottage Grove where there is widening just for intersection configuration – could be some trees there but he’s not sure.
Christy Bachman, also from City Engineering says all trees are due to bike lanes, no trees at Cottage Grove intersection.
Kerr asks if forestry has done an inventory.
Bachmann says yes. She says its a mixed bunch, maple, ash, birch, elm, lindens most in good condition, a few in poor condition, they looked at it, did a landscaping plan for replacement, there is a 4 foot terrace with smaller ornamental trees in some areas and some larger canopy trees.
Kerr says most in good condition, of 25 trees, how many in poor condition and will be removed in next couple years.
Bachmann says 3 are poor, 3 or 4 listed as fair, the rest are good, most in good condition.
Kerr says 20%.
Larry Palm asks Bachmann if 25 trees are removed on City of Madison side, does that calculation include Board of Public Works changes.
Bachmann says it may save a few, but shifting things a foot or two might save 2, but its questionable.
Palm asks to clarify what Board of Public Works did.
Bachman or Phillips said Monona changed to a 5 foot sidewalk from 8 feet, Madison was originally helping purchase land for the width, Board of Public Works asked them to shift back centerline so they do not share in burden of 8 foot sidewalk, they asked them to contact property owners about terrace with, allow them to have narrower width and not allow trees and keep sidewalk away from their homes,
Palm asks since Monona already approved something else, how will they reconcile?
Bachman says advisory committee will meet Thursday, they are first to take up issue and then Monona will have to decide how to proceed, acquire land or reconsideration of sidewalk at Monona council.
Kerr asks Dryer if with the bike lanes is there a gap, any other way to serve them not on Monona?
David Dryer, Traffic Engineer says this is a missing link, currently bikes ride on the sidewalk, it does fulfill a need.
Ker asks how many miles?
Dryer doesn’t know.
Bachman guesses half a mile – for half a mile gap and ride on sidewalk on Monona Drive. She says currently no bike lanes Monona Drive to Broadway – there is some reconstruction planned.
Compton says that she is on Ped Bike committee, long term plan involves Broadway, pier 37(?), to Cottage Grove Rd, just under 2 miles this plan involves a new urbanistic thinking which is going to get people out of cars and walking through village concept type development, it comes to within 250 ft of Pflaum and next phase is the section here, need to look at entire project, it’s been 15 or 20 years in concept plan, at least 12, can’t start adjusting plan without thinking about engineering hours, there have been recommendations from neighborhoods, alders neighborhood meetings, Monona is taking the lead, keep in mind this project not about one speaker one night, its about years, she is going to support it, hates to lose trees, trusts Christy and their department will try to do it – please support it to move forward.
Palm says you might notice he is not a sponsor and in his district and he’s on Board of Public Works, the original proposal project was not worthy of our consideration, happy that those changes were made, one of the recommendations he made was to review every tree, there was a big inventtory taken, tried many configurations to make it work without destruction of trees, but with addition of bike lanes, one can argue that they should swing it over to the Monona side, but like Dane County, when dealing with other governments it doesn’t always go well, what proposed here, which should solve more issues, is better than originally available and expectation that they will have their own comments – not going to say no to it, it is a plan they have worked on, not saying yes either, biggest concern is after tonight’s vote, still some work to reach agreement with Monona, first or 2nd or 20th step in negotiation.
Vote
The Mayor calls for the vote, a man stands up and says that he submitted a letter and asked if they were going to consider it. The mayor says they are in the middle of a vote. [Its too bad another person is going to walk away from the council meeting feeling like their input is not going to be heard. I wish the mayor would have explained that the alders had it and had hopefully read it.]
The mayor says the ayes have it, Kerr, Pham-Remmele and Palm all ask to be recorded as voting no.
TWENTY FIVE CENT FEES FOR ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS TO CITY AND VINDICTIVE MADISONIANS
[Thuy Alert!]
Pham-Remmele says she knows people think she is wasting time at the council, although constituents have raised concern about this, she would like to have questions answered here by staff so people at home understand clearly, this was moved on very fast just proposed in February and March and its up for decision and if she had not excluded it, there would be no chance to understand it – question is, for staff, if I am correct is it now when citizen of Madison pay fees, or taxes, they have the choice of coming to clerk office and pay in person, right? she wants to hear what current procedure for resident of Madison to pay fees and taxes, how are options that they can take.
Dave Gawenda, City Treasurer says taxes are different, but for most part any fees, water, parking etc, three options, trip downtown amd pay in 107 or mail or on-line.
Pham-Remmele says she thought that was what was allowed, so when propose when pay by electronic way, proposing to charge 25 minimally and can increase it as necessary?
Gawenda says that was discussed at Board of Estimates and Board of Estimates amended it so that made it clear that increase come back to common council, so all they are talking about is 25 cents.[If she had read her packet or looked on line, she would have seen the substitute where that language was crossed out.]
Pham-Remmele asks what intention for having this, cuz estimate will collect $25K for city budget by exercising this.
Gawenda says last June when put 2010 budget together, it was the fastest growing expense in his budget, banking is not done at no cost, if we deposit a check, depending on what bank written on, it is 1 to 4 cents, electronic payments we get charged 24 cents, fastest growing item in budget, it stuck out as far as potential to recoup our a fee.
Pham Remmele asks if they drive, park and come in person, then have someone stand behind counter to take care of business – if it is check or cash has to go to counselor, make sure it is accurate, give receipt, what is brief estimate to cost the city position to do that and resource to do that – just an estimate – if we are thinking of charging 24 cents then recoup by making payer, if the customer has choice, how much time and resource city has to cover to handle one transaction?
Gawenda says depends on volume, if that is all they do is do one check it would be alot, when look at total operation and staff time and compare it to electronic it is more efficient. Even if all transaction electronic, still need staff to process that, in this day and age, still cheaper to do it the old fashioned way – but it will cross over – staff time and salaries still needed to greet and certify payment, still do that cheaply, good at it doing it and as long as electronic transaction is new enough they are charging more than they will in 10 or 20 year.
Pham Remmele says debit and credit card charge so we have to pay that, but what about direct transfer from their account to city account?
Gawenda says transaction fee is regardless so fee for check, credit or debit credit card could be another 50 cents to 2 dollars, but by contract can’t recoup those costs.
Pham-Remmele says she will not argue with professional, but her constituents are upset, we are working in 21st century and many financial and businesses encourage to use e-payment and we go backward – penalty if a customer uses it, should be making it efficient for everyone – is this the way you do business? Citizens are held hostage by city – is this how we treat customers?
Gawenda says not unusually, he has heard similar statements, he chose 25 cents cuz considerably cheaper than 44 cent stamp or driving down and paying a parking meter, while unfortunate, better deal for citizen than stamp an pay in person.
Pham-Remmele says if cash, our people are fast or efficient, if a check bounce or money not corrected and have to be recorded and balanced and I have to study up on that, Madison people are vindictive, if they are going to get stuck down through, they will be smart and use stamps, if send in check, but open envelope, what is the ultimate purpose for doing this, does it mean that city send message that we prefer the old way, prefer send in stamps and mail payment, cuz if that is the intention, I understand, and this is just a way to get some money and going against progress, many people out there are waiting for this answer, what is the city intention, create ill will or try to send message that rather put paying in check and send in mail, if do electronically we want people to pay you.
Gawenda says he thinks the message is that in this current economic times they have to minimize increases in budget, Gawenda says that item growing so fast and choice in asking for increase in tax levy, have to pay one way or other and pass on 25 cents, 25 cents was better way to go, one thing he wants to point out, of the anticipated $25k this could realize, over $20K would be through parking tickets, that by far number one item is parking tickets, maybe more careful where park and not pay ticket. [Ha! He must have been watching the debate about increasing parking fines. Good one1]
Pham-Remmele says that is $100K in payments if they pay 25 cents, not even mentioned how many jobs it creates, thank you, cannot vote in support.
It passes on a voice vote with Pham-Remmele being the only no.
HOUSEKEEPING
It’s now 9:00, 2.5 hours into the meeting, 2 hours left to go.
Number 37 – no discussion – passes.
Number 77 – no discussion, passes.
Mark Clear attempts to call a recess, the Mayor obviously thinks that is a bad idea.
