Disclosure: I had to miss the meeting. The report below is based on information provided to me by individuals who attended the meeting.
MIA : Mayor Coleman ( # 3 in 2010). (Okay, only 99 % MIA. He arrived just before the meeting broke up.)
- Polling Place change. Last fall, right before the November election, Council discussed reducing the number of polling places and moving one polling location from Millridge School to the church next to Catalano's. Council revisited that discussion after Mayor Coleman (during his very brief appearance at the tail end of the meeting) announced that one polling location, Wellington's Restaurant, would no longer be available to use. The consensus apparently was to stick with the city's remaining two polling places---Millridge School and the Community Center.
- The Old Church Property. A individual pitched the idea of using the decrepit, mold-ridden building as a learning center, stating that he thought that volunteer donations could be used to pay for the center's operating costs. The individual, who apparently is not a structural engineer and has not been inside the building, also said that he disagreed with the cost estimates for restoring the building that were provided to the city in 2008---by a professional structural engineer, who did go inside and examined the building thoroughly. As the old song goes: "I'm just wishing, and hoping, and dreaming that my wishes will come true..."
- State drilling laws. The state Senate passed amendments to the state's drilling bill that were essentially written by and for the drilling companies (the Neihaus bill). That bill is now being considered by a committee in the House. Council voted to send a copy of the resolution that it passed last fall, asking for the restoration of local control over drilling, to the House committee. Councilman Bob Mastrangelo also suggested that the city provide more education to residents about fractional drilling.
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