City Commission Meeting 7/17/12 Live

Big stink at the beginning of the meeting regarding the deletion of Item 12.G.  This was on a separate sheet as an add/delete available upon walking in to the meeting tonight.  It turns out that the required signatures were not provided by the PAC by 6 p.m. tonight, therefore the City couldn't "proactively" schedule a first reading as if the PAC made the deadline.  Of course, gaskets were blown by two members of dais.  I was able to get all but the first part of this exchange on video, which I will share tomorrow.  There was a motion to move the item higher up in the agenda that remained - Item H, which dealt with the reconsideration of the height matter.  Disappointment was expressed that with the change in the agenda, and not moving Item H, kept the item at the end of the agenda.  This means that those that wanted to talk on the height issue have to wait until the end of the meeting.  There are a little over a half dozen people in the white shirts provided by the PAC.

I will be taking a video during Commission comments - Item 6 - much of the discussion centered around the unsuccessful negotiation in filling the internal auditor position.  Likewise, I got a lot of video of the Commission's discussion after public comment on unagendaed items.  The Mayor had a particularly strong series of statements about the political nature of this petition drive and it coinciding with an election year for some.  I counted a total of 18 people who spoke under this public comment - there were eight people that mentioned the right to vote or the height issue, and both sides were represented in the comments.

They are now on to unfinished business and dealing with the change orders for the Lynn Road project (Item 11.A.)  McVoy has a lot of questions and seems to be against this item.  It is Ed Devaux's company and he is defending himself before the City Commission.  McVoy is saying that it is obvious that this was a muck soil area - Mr. Deveaux is saying that you wouldn't know it if it weren't tested.  The mayor is urging some action other than just discussing it back and forth - staff is saying that one should be denied, but change orders 1 and 3 should be approved.  A motion was made in support of the staff recommendation - and it was seconded.  The contractor believes that it was legitimately an unforeseen condition.  The motion is being modified so that item 2 can be clarified and that discussions continue with staff.  The original motion is still alive and apparently is not being changed.  This is as issue between what the contractor's responsibility to know and not know.  Maxwell is offering a compromise.  He is talking about perhaps amending the amount requested on Item 2.  Mayor says that there is doubt and where we are unsure, we should take a second look.  McVoy is changing the motion to included a re-look.  Change order #2 is apparently holding up the project.  City Manager wants the whole item tabled now and he will sort it out.  He says he will resolve it one way or the other.  The whole thing is tabled to a time uncertain.  Unanimous.

Ten minute break.  8 p.m.