Updated and Revised on February 22nd, 2013
City of Newcastle -- Council Meeting of Feb. 19, 2013
The proposed Parks Commission restructuring plan of the January Retreat turned out to be more an elaborate window dressing, though one with fancy adornments, than a complete renovation of the shop after the most recent Council meeting. Parks Commission Chairwoman, Diane Lewis, spoke early on and said she had a difficult time getting the last Parks meeting under control and suggested that the Council might want to get a new chair. Councilman John Dulcich, later, commended Lewis's work as chair and suggested that she continue on as chairwoman of the now newly named Commission. Lewis also spoke about the Commission's work on the 2013 Work Plan, Trail Guidelines, and the need to get volunteers and services planned for Newcastle Days, soon.
The Council rejected the call to disband the Parks Commission by a vote of 4 - 3 as Deputy Mayor Jensen, Simpson, Dulcich and Buri voted to keep the Commission intact. However, the Council changed the name of the Commission to "Community Activities Commission" by a vote of 6 - 1 (Simpson dissenting), allowed two private organizations (Newcastle Trails and the Newcastle Historical Society) to nominate commissioners, presumably one each, by a vote of 6 - 1 (Simpson dissenting), allowed for the appointment of a Council Liaison, though experimentally until the end of the year, by a vote of 5 - 2 (Dulcich and Buri dissenting), and added responsibilities for the Commission, including volunteer activities and festivals, by a vote of 6 -1 (Simpson dissenting).
Basically, all of Mayor Rich Crispo's main points regarding changes for the Parks Commission were adopted except disbandment, although there appears to have been a number of relatively minor details from the mayor's plan that were either modified or discarded. The mayor left the meeting about halfway through, after the "Parks Commission" votes, because of illness, and Deputy Mayor Lisa Jensen thence took over the proceedings.
Basically, all of Mayor Rich Crispo's main points regarding changes for the Parks Commission were adopted except disbandment, although there appears to have been a number of relatively minor details from the mayor's plan that were either modified or discarded. The mayor left the meeting about halfway through, after the "Parks Commission" votes, because of illness, and Deputy Mayor Lisa Jensen thence took over the proceedings.
The rest of the meeting could be capsulized as follows:
- Revision of Comprehensive Plan's Parks, Trails and Recreation Element
- Update to Comprehensive Plan's Capital Facilities Plan Project List
- Franchise Agreement for Fiber Optic with the Zayo Group
- Mutual Materials Affordable Housing Agreement Termination
All of the above passed the Council without much dissent, and the latter two unanimously by 6 - 0 votes.
Council Candidate, Mark Greene, spoke from the public podium about the fiber optic agreement. Greene noted that some of the fiber optic installation in Newcastle would be above ground and in sight of the public, and thereby a potential hazard to eyes because of the laser applications involved. Greene requested that the Council table the motion to approve the agreement until further study could be made (rejected). However, City Manager Rob Wyman, explained that the particular technology in concern would be transmuted in a way as not to be hazardous to eyes. Greene thinks councils and legislatures all over America should keep a closer watch on the risks to public health regarding new technology, generally, which hasn't received a lot of attention to date.
N.P.R. attended the first hour-or-so of this meeting, but had to leave early for other work. The commissioners kept it monotone and to-the-point for all the time that N.P.R. was there, which didn't exactly make for grabbing headlines. No incredulous statements, temper tantrums, walkouts or grandstanding -- just gentlemanly, studious, conversational and civic-minded discourse. Commissioner Tom Magers started out the meeting by reporting on his activities on the Ad-Hoc Committee (Parks and Planning) and putting emphasis on the community fabric of the city as it relates to organizing work and comprehensive plans. Jon Simpson and Vice-Chairman Allen Dauterman were pretty much the philosophers of the early part of the meeting, as Simpson said that "All great cities had a vision for what made them great," implying that Newcastle should follow in their footsteps. Dauterman said that Newcastle needs to look more towards the future as it relates to developing a social and community fabric. Chairman John Drescher pointed out some of Newcastle's attributes such as parks, green space, sense of community and the city's access to the great economic centers, as he and the other commissioners reviewed the Comprehensive Plan Vision Statement and "draft scope of work" for the plan (Year 2015). Drescher said, in so many words, that the long term health and independence of the city was at stake. Tim McHarg, the new Community Development Director, stressed what the city could directly control and future focus, among other topics he discussed.
Much of the early conversation was about Coal Creek Parkway being merely a thoroughfare for drivers who don't live in the city. Although, a comment or two was made about tolling, which didn't seem to be taken too seriously by the commissioners writ large, the concensus seemed to be that this was something that Newcastle just had to live with, but potential economic opportunities from the Coal Creek traffic should be taken advantage of. Paraphrasing Commissioner Rob Lemmon, "When handed a lemon, make lemonade." N.P.R. didn't hear anything about how Coal Creek was already contributing to Newcastle's economy, but presumably, the commissioners think that whatever economic advantages presently exist, they could be further enhanced. There was discussion about how the city could work with businesses in the downtown core to draw off potential customers from Coal Creek. Aside from the Coal Creek Parkway discussion, there was also talk about developing pockets of commercial activity outside of the downtown core, but one gets the feeling that this commission, in the general sense, isn't too big on developing commercial activity outside of the downtown core and that this will eventually be an area of contention amongst themselves and with the Council.
Commissioners in Attendance: Chairman John Drescher, Vice-Chairman Allen Dauterman, Tom Magers, Jon Simpson and Rob Lemmon. Absent: Karin Blakley and Elizabeth Thompson.
[revised on 2/22/2013]
Council Candidate, Mark Greene, spoke from the public podium about the fiber optic agreement. Greene noted that some of the fiber optic installation in Newcastle would be above ground and in sight of the public, and thereby a potential hazard to eyes because of the laser applications involved. Greene requested that the Council table the motion to approve the agreement until further study could be made (rejected). However, City Manager Rob Wyman, explained that the particular technology in concern would be transmuted in a way as not to be hazardous to eyes. Greene thinks councils and legislatures all over America should keep a closer watch on the risks to public health regarding new technology, generally, which hasn't received a lot of attention to date.
City of Newcastle -- Planning Commission Meeting of
Feb. 20, 2013
Feb. 20, 2013
N.P.R. attended the first hour-or-so of this meeting, but had to leave early for other work. The commissioners kept it monotone and to-the-point for all the time that N.P.R. was there, which didn't exactly make for grabbing headlines. No incredulous statements, temper tantrums, walkouts or grandstanding -- just gentlemanly, studious, conversational and civic-minded discourse. Commissioner Tom Magers started out the meeting by reporting on his activities on the Ad-Hoc Committee (Parks and Planning) and putting emphasis on the community fabric of the city as it relates to organizing work and comprehensive plans. Jon Simpson and Vice-Chairman Allen Dauterman were pretty much the philosophers of the early part of the meeting, as Simpson said that "All great cities had a vision for what made them great," implying that Newcastle should follow in their footsteps. Dauterman said that Newcastle needs to look more towards the future as it relates to developing a social and community fabric. Chairman John Drescher pointed out some of Newcastle's attributes such as parks, green space, sense of community and the city's access to the great economic centers, as he and the other commissioners reviewed the Comprehensive Plan Vision Statement and "draft scope of work" for the plan (Year 2015). Drescher said, in so many words, that the long term health and independence of the city was at stake. Tim McHarg, the new Community Development Director, stressed what the city could directly control and future focus, among other topics he discussed.
Much of the early conversation was about Coal Creek Parkway being merely a thoroughfare for drivers who don't live in the city. Although, a comment or two was made about tolling, which didn't seem to be taken too seriously by the commissioners writ large, the concensus seemed to be that this was something that Newcastle just had to live with, but potential economic opportunities from the Coal Creek traffic should be taken advantage of. Paraphrasing Commissioner Rob Lemmon, "When handed a lemon, make lemonade." N.P.R. didn't hear anything about how Coal Creek was already contributing to Newcastle's economy, but presumably, the commissioners think that whatever economic advantages presently exist, they could be further enhanced. There was discussion about how the city could work with businesses in the downtown core to draw off potential customers from Coal Creek. Aside from the Coal Creek Parkway discussion, there was also talk about developing pockets of commercial activity outside of the downtown core, but one gets the feeling that this commission, in the general sense, isn't too big on developing commercial activity outside of the downtown core and that this will eventually be an area of contention amongst themselves and with the Council.
Commissioners in Attendance: Chairman John Drescher, Vice-Chairman Allen Dauterman, Tom Magers, Jon Simpson and Rob Lemmon. Absent: Karin Blakley and Elizabeth Thompson.
[revised on 2/22/2013]
