November 5, 2003

Attending: a little over 110 people

Chair Wynn Johnson opened the meeting at 7 pm. The Madeline Choir School performed for us for about 10 minutes. Offered CD's for sale and announced their concerts starting for the Christmas season. Normal group is 72 in size.

Regular reports:

City council member Eric Jergensen said to just ask questions and chose to defer to the rest of the meeting agenda.

South Temple Reconstruction report from Pat Peterson. Landscaping will be done next year. Only 700 feet of concrete left which should be done tomorrow. All South Temple street should be done by then. She doesn't plan on coming back to our meetings anymore.

Police report from Carrie Sanders said car prowls were heavy. There were 40 last month, 14 the month before, and 45 the month before that. Prowlers are going after personal information, registration, and paperwork in the car. Please don't leave personal info in your car. Seeing a rash of burglaries in doctor and dental offices for personal information. This info is getting about $100/person. 3 or 4 people who attended another meeting had had their mail stolen from their boxes. Call 799-3000 for Carrie. They will know who she is.

School board absent. Legislature doesn't have much going on.

GACC election handled by former chair Dick Smiley. Ballots were handed out and explanations were made to facilitate the election. No members were opposing the treasurer and secretary so only chair candidates spoke for a minute.

Jim Jenkin said it's a pleasure to see so many new bodies at this meeting. Some of you get to hear this is where democracy starts. Citizens should have specific say in how their neighborhood should run. Things we discuss here lead into the decisions made by the city that affect our lives. Please participate in the government building that we do here every month. What is in my heart that I would say to a bunch of people I won't see again very soon? A lot of things to be afraid of in our world today, but world hasn't changed all that much and we can still work together and build one we all want to live in. Is afraid only of one thing--we are closed in our planet and putting more and more heat in it. Hope my children and your children will be able to deal with that change—whatever it is. Hope their world they inherit from us is just as good as the one we got from our parents. Jim is a member of the SLC transportation board.

Jill Van Langeveld said her mom always said "if at first you don't' succeed try, try again." We had 650 people come through in our primary elections. At least you get paid really well (joke). No way they could pay enough to do that kind of thing. At yesterday's election we had 930. Had a voter coming through every 48 seconds average. Ran out of ballots. Had only 900 ballots. By the time we got through it was a big day and it was great. Get to see people from my area I don't often get to see. We live in a wonderful area. We have a great location and wonderful neighbors, love diversity, talents people share, willingness to get involved in community problems. Want to do this and give something back in all the time we've lived here. Lived on 6th Ave and the Northcliff drive. Have BS degree from U of U and taught until 5th child was born. Stay at home mom until husband started business and has been running that lately. Has helped with street fair since '96. If you vote for her, will bring a unique chairmanship. Have lived in both upper and lower Aves. Can empathize with both. Bring woman's perspective, and a mother, teacher perspective. Have flexible work schedule and could attend meetings with mayor and other officials. Have tried whole life to work with others with different perspectives. Loves to be active and welcoming and being part of a caring community. Try to get more people involved. It's a labor of love activity. Hope you will vote for me.

Move nominations be closed. Seconded. No discussion. Is there anyone else to be nominated? Fill out your ballot and vote off anybody you don't want on there. Anyone can come to board meeting. Nominations for board from floor are: Lisa Alcott in area 2. if she gets a second and 1 vote she is on the board. Another nomination for Denton Taylor for area 5. Ann Tillson wants to be on the board in area 6.

Accept secretary and treasurer by acclamation. Seconded. Motion carried. (To save counting.)

Vote in by acclamation the board members (included ones added tonight). Motion carried.

Thank boy scouts who are here learning about grassroots democracy. Learning communication merit badge tonight.

Thank you for your cooperation with the elections. Thanks to Dick Smiley for all his help over the years. One of our members is governor. Governor Olene Walker lives next to 18th Ave.

RS247 dirt road discussion – wants the council to write a letter to attorney general expressing general attitude of council as either for or against study. Concerning the fact the roads being discussed are unpublished and would like the letter to request the gag order be removed. Some of these roads go across major watershed areas and could seriously affect our watershed areas. Letter needs to go to county and to Gov. Walker as well as attorney general. Gov will really make decision on this. Isn't question whether or not they are roads and not whether we like them? It's almost a non-issue. Move we authorize Chair Wynn to write letter and request roads in SL county be released and made public. Amend letter to gov with copies to these other people. Seconded. Discussion. Unanimous in favor.

Fluoridation project – Janet Wolf and Bob Sperling with SL dept of public utilities. Last year we told you we decided to put fluoridation for 4th Ave at this site at Ottinger hall. Fluoridation already done. SLC has 3 water treatment plants. Youth program is in building so fluoridation won't be there. Looking at site next to Ottinger hall as depicted in this drawing here. Will blend it into the area of trees and hillside. Architects matched stone in island down street. Required to have 30 ft setback. Now only have 15-foot setback. If we went back 30 feet would be under capitol somewhere. Have to go to city in Nov and Dec and get variance so if anybody is opposed they will want to voice their opinion at city meetings. Neighbor across street says this plan is a winner. Looking for a letter to take to city planning saying he was here presenting --and any disapprovals would be to them. Always helpful if council gives a recommendation. Building will be 15-20 feet wide. Box possibly could be in building but would be better to have it outside. Looking for variance for 30-foot setback. Most other buildings are that far away from street too. This won't be much different than what they are. Ottinger hall alternative is in lieu of another really ugly building planned that is much improved on. The Snow home a couple of doors down street that could be similar to what this could be. Don't try to match Ottinger hall—it's its own unique building. Motion we write letter from council -we agree with amended plan as discussed here today. amend we give acknowledgement of process public utilities has used in recent time. Amend we accept setback issue and define it now so it's helpful. Council accepts or approves setback. Motion carries.

Janet Wolf explains what will go on in Ottinger hall. Update youth city program currently running programs in other locations in city and soon to be in Ottinger hall. SL rotary has graciously offered to partner with us. Need to do work to bring it up to date for kids. Been terrific to work with rotary. After school day will see 30-50 kids near 8th grades having activities structured for them at affordable costs-- talking about low impact classes. No drumming classes. Digital photo, stained glass, drawing, painting, keyboarding, guitar lessons, music compositions, computer skills, building, might bring teenagers in to help mentor kids. Hope to offer these programs about summer 04 –as soon as building is ready. How is transportation done? Where will they park? One or 2 vans, park? Turn around, families will be picking up. Won't be more than 1 fulltime coordinator at a time. Coordinator will drive their cars. Comment/question - Very fragile area in terms of traffic. What are you thinking? Have you done studies – we have been left out of whole process and you talk like it's a done deal. What has building been used for in past years? Originally built as a social hall for retired volunteer firemen. Was used continuously through late 1980's until last fireman died. Has been vacant 10 years. What is left has been moved to Pioneer Trail State Park. City has neglected building –no money or interest. Dave Johnson has raised some very important issues. Park takes up any extra parking. Needs a lot of exploration –have looked for someone to come and utilize that building. 1st CC meetings were held in that building. Motion to CC to draft a letter to put project on hold until this can be evaluated –apartments have to pass muster as far as parking goes. Choke point down there. Schools that would fill program Wasatch, Ensign, Washington, Bryant for younger ones. Has renovation already been funded? It is available. Money is in place. Vacant building is magnate for crime. Parking issues can be worked through and if it is a drop off/pick up situation –nobody using it would be worse. Is an expansion of programs begun 4 years ago. Want it to be citywide after school program and are looking for space. Is parking up hill with council hall and Memorial Chapel. Back to MOTION to table and come back and we will defer any approval at this time so we would have input – yes - motion carried.

TRAFFIC discussion by Jim Jenkin, Ralph Becker, on plan to put in traffic signals on Columbus Street. Process to this point, Victory Road, Columbus street, historically lots of debate, Davis county residents, capitol traffic, --main street, TRAX so many changes around capitol etc. indicates need to regulate flow of traffic. Stops, roundabouts signals seem to work out as best solution for that area. 300 N and Columbus and 500 N and Columbus are safety concerns. Have you coordinated with restoration with state capitol and park to be there? We have talked with him about concerns that may come after they are done. Still have need to provide safety features at those intersections. Looking at continued long term. Timing for project will be working late spring/early summer of 2004. Capitol preservation board looking at east side of capitol put forth by Dave Hart. It purposed to close Columbus between 5th and 3rd N and move around east side of capitol. Would look at what would happen to traffic flows. How much would flow through that area. Significant concerns from traffic preservation board. Bunch of things that may alter the possible approaches on this. May end up with lights. Would hope for discussion about that. If something is to be done significant now and another one done in a few years—we look forward with moving the other alternative – one plan was a gigantic traffic circle around capitol. Primary access now is planned from N and S. Eric said should make this an issue and get public input and be brought before advisory board. Fairly narrow view from UDOT and how to address issues. They were ready to put lights in. SLC has come in and UDOT has backed away from final decision on lights waiting further discussion. Contact Chris Siavrakas, P.E. traffic engineer from UDOT traffic operations center

Results from elections: we thank candidates. Vice chair will be Jill Van Langeveld. Thank you

Open Forum: announcement that Tom Rogan ran the San Francisco marathon on July 27 and a month later was on morphine for Mucosal Melanoma. Doctors have refused any further treatment and Tom is in hospice end of life care. Mary McDonald was chair of traffic committee for a while –it's Mary Rogan now. Send note at maryrogan@hotmail.com. Been really difficult for her to call people or respond to emails but would appreciate support.

The address for Tom and Mary Rogan is:
1300 Delaware Street #34
Berkeley, CA 94702

CC will send get well card to Tom.

Mayor's office Mary Springmeyer reports activities going on downtown -- gallery stroll on Nov 2-- involves art galleries and restaurants. Contact Salt Lake Arts Council. On Nov 28 at 5:30 is the "lights on ceremony." Will be a joint celebration with Downtown Alliance, upper main Gallivan, Gateway and Temple Square. Events going on through holiday season: Treats, jingle bus, Kurt Bestor will do carols on TRAX. Heartwarming Christmas tradition when Santa Claus arrives on a jazz bear. First night is TRAX will run until 1 a.m. in evening and will do so. A time to celebrate. Contact her with any concerns.

Announce Eric Jergensen has postal address for Mary and Tom Rogan.

Adjourned at 8:50 pm