CC_Minutes_2009_1116 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Regular City Council Meeting Monday, November 16, 2009 Page 15 needing better measurements unless 1 % was cut across the board from all budgets allowing for those impacts to be identified for public information. Mr. Grefen- berg spoke in support of taking a small percentage from the City's reserve funds; spoke in support of leaving some City services intact (i.e., libraries, parks and rec- reation) for the benefit of citizens forced to cut other essential services and ex- penditures. Mr. Grefenberg commended the City in their valiant attempts to involve the community, but opined that this proposed levy was still too high for those on fixed incomes. Bruce Branigan, 2082 Cohansey Boulevard (adjacent to Villa Park) Mr. Branigan spoke in support of community programs, specifically the excellent Police Department and its dedicated and concerned personnel in the community with superb response time. Mr. Branigan also spoke, from a neighborhood per- spective, in support of the City's park system, opining it was one of the best in the country and nationally recognized, and Mr. Brokke's dedication to participation of neighborhoods in the park system. Mr. Branigan noted that his neighborhood was very organized, and believed in volunteering and self-help and were active in park clean up, security, neighborhood watch programs, and in preserving other neighborhood amenities. Mr. Branigan opined that the parks were part of a healthy community, while not always evidenced as such; and encouraged in- volvement of talented volunteers as an additional source of strength for the com- munity and government. Mr. Branigan thanked the City Council for their dedication to often thankless tasks; expressed his appreciation and the support of his neighborhood. Jason Etten, 2054 Cohansey Boulevard (written a-mail) Mr. Etten noted that he had provided his comments by e-mail, but reiterated them in person. Mr. Etten spoke in support of preserving the Parks and Recreation pro- grams; dedication of the Police and Fire Departments; continued review of infla- tionary expenses (i.e., road striping); and expressed his confusion in Attachments A and C, apparently representing two different forms of the budget and providing different numbers. Mr. Etten opined that he found some of the information over- whelming and sought clarification. Mr. Etten expressed interest in the future of the Police and Fire Chief positions and budget impacts. Mayor Klausing advised that the City Manager was responsible for hiring and fir- ing City employees, and would make recommendation on those positions to the City Council at a later date.