1501 or 1798, What's your pleasure?

A recent joint work session on July 24th 2006 to discuss population projection was eventful. The Planning Commission Chair, Del Shirley, presented the Commission's report including a population projection of 1501 by the year 2026 along with assumptions and criteria being used to determine housing and land needs. Councilor Smith spoke extensively on a population projection of 1798 and brought up an issue he had the City Attorney discuss: de facto moratorium. Councilor Brush discussed issues he had with the Building Lands Inventory and Housing Needs Model that Commissioner Shirley presented and issues with constraints. Mayor Schaffner did not participate in the discussion and Councilor Lathrom had very little to say. The meeting stretched into the 11 PM hour. I don't know all that transpired after I left but I heard I was being bashed for the resident survey I did. I was being accused of biasing the citizens. The citizens were asked at the end of every survey, did I bias your selection of whatever growth rate they selected and had I given ample information to them. Everyone told me that I had not biased his or her selection. City Planner, Don Driscol has stated over and over that Tangent can choose the population projection it wants and gave 4 example tables of those projections. All I did was to give the citizens the same opportunity to make the choice.

I understood that Councilor Smith made a motion to extend the 1581 population projection with the County and it was voted on and passed with Mayor Schaffner, Councilor Lathrom, and Councilor Smith voting yes, Councilor Casper voting no and Councilor Brush abstaining or recusing himself, I'm not sure which. This in essence would have meant that the citizens would not have a measure to vote on and the population projection would have been decided by the council. There would have been no need for the public to participate in the scheduled meetings of the remainder of July and into August as the decision would have been final. I am not completely sure what transpired next but apparently after Councilor Casper and Commissioner Wagner left, another motion was made to rescind the previous motion and a new motion was put forward to recommend to the Planning Commission that the 1798 population projection be considered by the planning commission at the next Planning Commission Meeting scheduled for 7PM at the Electric Company on July 27th. At that meeting, additional discussion will occur and a final recommendation to the Council will be made, but it appears the Council has already made up its mind without hearing any testimony from the public, something State Goal 1 requires. The following Council Meeting at 7:30 PM, on August 7th, 2006 will be when a decision, if any, is made to put something on the ballot for the citizens to vote on. Please come to both meetings if you can and show your support.

Seaton