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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday, September 24, 2012 <br /> Page 23 <br /> pense, she noted that that was not what she had heard from bond counsel earlier <br /> tonight. <br /> Based on Finance Director Miller's previous discussions with the City Council <br /> and staff recommendations to split the bond issue into smaller chunks to ensure <br /> that the bonds were bank qualified, Councilmember Pust noted that while it <br /> made sense to the City Council majority and was an important issue, Mr. Mil- <br /> ler's e-mail dated today and previously referenced indicated that this hadn't <br /> worked out and was no longer a good deal; and staff now recommended that the <br /> remaining bond issue phases be done all at once. <br /> In her review of the information provided, and from her perception, Coun- <br /> cilmember Pust opined that the real reason this was being pushed now was due <br /> to the upcoming November election, and with two (2) incumbents not running <br /> and risking the two (2) new Councilmembers being unknown quantities, they <br /> were being asked to make the decision tonight. <br /> While anticipating that the Council majority would proceed with the bond sale, <br /> Councilmember Pust stated that she continued to have concerns with the process <br /> itself. Recognizing that the Park Master Plan was a great process allowing for <br /> significant public input, Councilmember Pust opined that it still was not a sub- <br /> stitute for all citizens exercising their individual votes. Based on the dollar <br /> amounts at stake, 1/3 of Roseville's population being senior citizens, and the <br /> percentage of Roseville families receiving free or reduced lunches in the School <br /> system, Councilmember Pust advised that she could not in good conscience <br /> support the motion. In addition, as it related to the question of democracy, <br /> Councilmember Pust opined that five (5) elected people should not make the <br /> decision for those portions of Roseville's population previously referenced for a <br /> twenty(20) year period. <br /> Recognizing that he appeared to be the unpopular individual in the house to- <br /> night, Councilmember Johnson stated that was part of serving as an elected of- <br /> ficial; and expressed his appreciation for those who respectfully provided their <br /> testimony to the City Council. Noting that it was difficult to be in disagreement <br /> with some giving public testimony, Councilmember Johnson assured them that <br /> they had been heard, and he agreed to respectfully disagree with those speakers. <br /> Councilmember Johnson stated that it was his belief that the bulk of what was <br /> now required, the reason the fire stations and parks systems were in such disre- <br /> pair, and the need to now fully fund capital improvements to correct that infra- <br /> structure, was due to the neglect of past City Councils in deferring those ex- <br /> penditures and needed maintenance. Councilmember Johnson noted that the <br /> Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Task Force, upon which both he and <br /> Mayor Roe had participated, had identified the need for many dollars to move <br /> the City's CIP program forward and address the $100 million deficit required to <br />