02/24/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

When Councilman Murray suggested further discussion of previous mall recommendations by the Cou~cil, since it had several new members, rather than appointment of a subcommittee likely to produce the same type of recommendations, Mrs. Beal said the Council's position could remain the same but it still would not express the 4It; Association's viewpoint. She said the proposal presented at this time was from the Downtown Association. She thought the city had the responsibility for working out something to govern use of city property and money was what the Council desired rather than turning it allover to the Downtown Association. Manager expressed the feeling that commercial uses were being considered as a single item rather than a total program for the mall area. He noted the list of proposed activities making up the job description for the mall manager, submitted with the EDA application for room tax funds, developed by staff to cover the various activities proposed in addition to the question of commercial uses. He suggested review of that list by the Council with addition or deletion as the Council desired, proceeding with the arrangement with the understanding the question of commercial activities on the mall could be added if the Council wanted to do that. Mayor Anderson asked circulation of the mall manager job description and tentative approval of the allocation, placing it on the February 24 Council consent calendar for segregation and further discussion after review of the proposed activities. Councilwoman Beal still preferred appointment of a subcommittee to discuss the activities proposed in the job description as well as previous recommendations on mall uses with the parks department and Downtown Association to determine exactly what would take place there. The Council then would be better able to respond to people of the city, and particularly people in her ward, interested in use of the mall. In response to Councilman Williams, Mr. Smith said the mall manager job description prepared for submittal to the Room Tax Committee covered the parks department recommendations of proposed uses on the mall. If the allocation was approved, he said, a contractual arrangement would be drafted providing for services ex- pected to be provided. He said this proposal was intended to promote activities on the mail, to implement direction of the Council and recommendations of several committees in the past. Commercial uses on the mall had not been totally resolved and he saw that as a completely separate issue from the allocation request for the mall manager salary. He added that information was being assembled with re- gard to sidewalk cafes and type of mall use and he assumed a report of those find~ ings .would be the next step. Mayor Anderson expressed sympathy with Mrs. Beal's position, he was disappointed also at lack of co-operation from downtown merchants in expanding commercial uses into the mall area. He was inclined to agree that this was an issue separate from the requested allocation. However, he saw this as an opportunity to explore fur- ther the possibility of commercial development into the mall. He suggested that any arrangement should specify one year only if that was the contract period. He again suggested distribution of the list of activities developed for the Room Tax Commi.ttee before the February 24 Council meeting and inclusion of further exploration of commercial development into the mall as part of the agreement with the EDA. Mrs. Bea~ repeated that she preferred consideration and deliberation prior to com- mitment with regard to money or any specific program because once it was done it . would be difficult for the Council to make any changes. Councilman Bradley seconded the motion for appointment of a subcommittee. 2/24/75 - 26 ~4 e .