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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999 State of the City AddressSTATE OF THE CITY JANUARY 26, 1999 AS I REPORT TO YOU TONIGHT ON THE CONDITION OF OUR CITY I WOULD STATE THAT IN GENERAL WE ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. ALL IS NOT PERFECT, WE HAVE PROBLEM AREAS HOWEVER THESE ARE BEING ADDRESSED. THEY DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT ON THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF OUR CITY NOR THE WELL BEING OF OUR GOVERNMENT IN ANY SIGNIFICANT MANNER. I EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO OUR EMPLOYEES IN EACH DEPARTMENT. OUR EMPLOYEES DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. DO WE MAKE MI STAKES? -YES WE DO. THOSE WHO DO NOT MAn MISTAKES ARE THOSE WHO DO NOTHING. I BELIEVE THE MISTAKES,, IF I MAY CALL THEM THAT, ARE MADE IN AN HONEST ENDEAVOR TO DO THE JOB RIGHT. THIS PAST DECEMBER 19, WE HAD A WATER LINE BREAK ON CANAL STREET, WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THIS EXPERIENCE. WEATHER WAS 12 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. TliE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. IT SEEMS A MAJOR BREAK ALWAYS OCCURS IN THIS TYPE OF WEATHER. OUR MAINTENANCE RESPONSE TO THIS POINTS OUT THAT WE NEED IMPROVE OUR METHOD OF RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. EACH WHO RESPONDED PERFORMED AS BEST THEY COULD UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. WE NOT ONLY NEED TO IMPROVE OUR PRO- CEDURE IN RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY AT THE MAINTENANCE LEVEL BUT ALSO IN THE FOLLOW UP TO THE CITIZENS CONCERNED. PERHAPS OUR RESPONSE AT CITY OFFICE LEVEL COULD'HAVE BEEN BETTER. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A FRIDAY NIGHT. IT WAS THE FOLLOWING MONDAY BEFORE THOSE INDIVIDUALS OTHER THAN MAINTENANCE WERE INVOLVED. WE AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL WERE NOT AWARE OF THE SITUATION UNTIL TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK. IF AT THAT TIME WE HAD BECOME MORE INTERESTED IN THE PLIGHT OF THOSE CITIZENS INVOLVED WE COULD HAVE ASSISTED IN VARIOUS WAYS TO HELP THE SITUATION. I BELIEVE WE NEED INVOLVE POLICE AND FIRE IN THIS TYPE OF AN EMERGENCY. THEIR RESPONSE WITH MAINTENANCE MIGHT BE HELPFUL. THESE TWO GROUPS, FIRE AND POLICE, ARE TRAINED IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND COULD ASSIST IN VARIOUS WAYS AT THE SCENE. WE LEARNED A LESSON AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL CORRECT THE MISTAKES m OF THIS NIGHT IN A POSITIVE MANNER TO IMPROVE, ON EMERGENCY RESPONSE. THIS PAST YEAR WE REMOVED A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE FROM TIE POSITION OF FIRE CHIEF AND RETURNED HIM TO HIS FORMER POSITION OF ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF AND AGAIN ASSUME. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAINTENANCE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. A NEW CHIEF WAS APPOINTED. THERE WAS CONCERN EXPRESSED BY SOME OF THE FIREMEN. WE CONSIDERED THEIR CONCERNS IN EVERY WAY. IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER A NEW CHIEF HAS BEEN APPOINTED AND THE DEPARTMENT PROGRESSES AND D40VES FORWARD. WE HAVE RENEIVED INTEREST AMONG VOLUNTEER FIREMEN AND NEW INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN BECOMING MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT HAVE INCREASED IN NLmBER. WE AT THE COUNCIL SUPPORT THE CHANGE AND CONTINUE TO URGE ALL IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ALSO SUPPORT THIS CHANGE. COUNCILMAN MARVIN GUNTER, COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, HAS GIVEN MANY EXTRA HOURS IN ASSISTING IN THIS MATTER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STILL HAS AREAS WHERE IMPROVEMENT IS NEEDED AND WE ARE RAPIDLY MOVING INTO SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN RESOLVE THESE CONCERNS IN THE COMING MONTHS. THERE IS AN INTEREST IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT . TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SERVICE TO OUR CITY AND NORTH COUNTY AREA OF RESPONSE ASSIGNED TO CHUBBUCK IN FIRE CONTROL. I FEEL WE COULD PROVIDE A FASTER RESPONSE TIME TO EMERGENCIES OF A MEDICAL NATURE IN OUR CITY WITH AN AMBULANCE AND TRAINED PEOPLE STATIONED IN OUR FIRE STATION. I DO NOT CRITICIZE THE PRESENT SERVICE AS IT IS GOOD WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS. THIS AREA OF SERVICE NEEDS TO BE EXPLORED AND DETERMINE IF IT IS FEASIBLE FOR THE CITY TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE. AS I VIEW THIS EMERGENCY RESPONSE UNIT I SEE FINANCING AS THE PROBLEM WE HAVE. WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY NEED To WORK WITHIN THE PRESENT COUNTY PROGRAM. WE AT THE CITY LEVEL DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE AND ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICE PROGRAM. WE WILL DISCUSS THIS WITH THE COUNTY IN THE FUTURE. WE HAVE A VISIT FROM THE FIRE RATING BUREAU THIS YEAR AND NEED TO BE PREPARED IN EVERY WAY IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE THE RATING WE HAVE AT THE PRESENT. WE ALSO ARE APPROACHING A NEED FOR A SITE TO LOCATE A SECOND FIRE STATION. AS OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW AND THE BOUNDARIES EXTEND OUT MORE WE ARE STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT IN A COUPLE OF DIRECTIONS. WE ARE ADDRESSING THIS WITH 2 Tl-lE FIRE CHIEF AS TO THE LOCATION NEEDED. THE CHUBBUCK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES FIRE PROTECTION TO THE NORTH BANNOCK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT. THIS INCLUDES THE UPPER POCATELLO CREEK AREA WHICH IS NOT IN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF POCATELLO. THE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION GROWTH IN THE POCATELLO CREEK AREA HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE THE PAST FEW YEARS. WE BELIEVE A BUILDING TO HOUSE A FIRE TRUCK IS NEEDED IN THIS AREA ALONG WITH A SOURCE OF WATER WHERE OUR DEPARTMENT CAN REFILL THE WATER TANK TRUCK MORE QUICKLY THAN AT PRESENT. A SUGGESTION TO THOSE WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA IS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME TRAI14ED IN FIRE PROTECTION, BE ABLE TO OPERATE A FIRE TRUCK AND BE THE FIRST TO RESPOND TO A FIRE IN YOUR VICINITY. THE CHUBBUCK DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE To RESPOND AS RAPIDLY AS THEY DO NOW. HOWEVER WE ARE A DISTANCE FROM THAT AREA AND IT TAKES TIME TO REACH OUT WITH PROTECTION. A UNIT IN THIS POCATELLO CREEK AREA COULD GREATLY IMPROVE THE FIRE PROTECTION THAT COULD BE NEEDED. THE INDIVIDUALS WHO DESIRE TO BE TRAINED COULD DO So WITH THE CHUBBUCK VOLUNTEERS. THEY WOULD ONLY RESPOND TO FIRES IN THE UPPER POCATELLO CREEK AREA AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO FIRES THAT THE CHUBBUCK DEPARTMENT NOW ANSWERS IN THE CITY OR To THE NORTH OF OUR CITY IN THE COUNTY. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO REVIEW OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE AND ALSO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR MINOR CORRECTIONS. TIME AND EXPERIENCE DICTATES A NEED TO MAKE CORRECTIONS IN THESE PLANS. THIS WILL INVOLVE BOTH THE COUNCIL AND THE LAND USE COMMISSION IN EXTRA TIME BUT WE CAN MANAGE TO DO THIS - THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE FRANCHISE FEE WITH IDAHO POWER. WE NEED TO MEET WITH CITIZENS AND MAKE A DECISION TO GO TO A VOTE OR NOT TO DO SO. THIS FRANCHISE FEE HAS BEEN SUGGESTED AS A METHOD TO RAISE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WOULD BE USED TO MAKE STREET IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY. WE DEFINITELY NEED A VOTE OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITIZENS TO BOND FOR STREET AND UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE INCREMENTAL FINANCE DISTRICT. THIS PROGRAM WOULD NOT INCUR ANY TAX INCREASE TO OUR CITIZENS. AN APPROVAL FOR THIS WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO MAKE IMPROVEMlENTS 3 S.wo� 1_.� IN OUR STREETS AND WATER SYSTE14 IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. THESE IMPfZOVa,lE-NTS ARE NEEDED NOW AND WE SHOULD MOVE TO PASS THIS BOND. AGAIN, THIS BOND WOULD NOT INCREASE PROPERTY TAX TO THE CITIZENS.IT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO PROCEED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IN VARIOUS AREAS TO INPROVE STREETS AND WATER SUPPLY. WE ALSO HAVE A NEED TO VISIT WITH THOSE CITIZENS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE INCREMENTAL ZONE AND WHO HAVE STREET IMPROVEMENT NEEDS AND DETERMINE HOW TO APPROACH THESE CONCERNS. AN LID IS A METHOD BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITIZENS CONCERNED IF WE CONSIDER THIS �4ETHOD. PERHAPS THOSE WHO LIVE IN THESE AREAS DO NOT WANT ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR STREET. WE NEED TO CONSIDER THEIR DESIRES IN THIS MATTER. I WOULD PROCEED WITH AN LID ONLY WITH THE BELIEF THE PROPERTY OWNERS CONCERNED WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE. OUR POLICE HAVE INITIATED PROGRAMS TO INCREASE POLICE PROTECTION AT A MINI14AL COST TO OUR CITY. THESE PROGRAMS HAVE ALREADY PRODUCED RAPID RESPONSE RESULTING IN APPREHENDING THOS WHO HAVE STOLEN ITEMS FROM PINERIDGE M[ALL MERCHANTS. WE NEED TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM EXTENSIVELY AS WE CAN FINANCIALLY AFFORD TO DO SO. COUNCILMAN ROY QUICK HAS BEEN GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE OUR CITY REPRESENTATIVE TO THE "ENOUGH17 IS ENOUGH' DRUG PROGRAM. ROY IS HEAVILY ENGAGED IN THIS AND HAS BECOME DEDICATED TO THE PROGRAM. ROY AM OTHERS ARE CO—OPERATING TO N�M(E THIS PROGRAM A SUCCESS. HE IS HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH EVERY PHASE OF LIFE IN OUR AREA. CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, CITIZENS, EVERYONE IS BECOMING INVOLVED. THE PROGRAM CAN WORK AND BE SUCCESSFUL. PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND ARE INTERESTED. WE CAN SUCCEED IN CONTROLLING DRUG TRAFFIC IF ALL BECOME INVOLVED. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD CONCERN_,*_� THAT THE JUDICIAL COULD BE OUR MAIN PROBLEM. I DO NOT STATE THE LEGAL SYSTF14 DOES NOT WANT TO CO—OPERATE IN EVERY WAY BUT I HAVE CONCERN THAT PRESENT LAWS RESTRICT THE RESPONSE WE NEED IN THIS AREA OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. PUNISHMENT MUST BE HARSH AND SWIFT TO THOSE WHO THREATEN OUR SOCIETY. WE CANNOT TOLERATE THOSE ARRESTED BEING RETURNED TO THE STREET MORE QUICKLY THAN THE POLICE OFFICERS RETURN TO THEIR DUTY. THIS IS HAPPENING AT PRESENT AND HAS HAPPENED EXTENSIVELY IN THE PAST. IF OUR m "I../ %� CORRECTION FACILITIES ARE FULL WE NEED EITHER RELEASE THOSE WHO HAVE NO NEED NOR ARE ANY DANGER TO SOCIETY FROM INCARCERATION, AND THERE ARE T110SE IN THIS SITUATION, SHOULD BE RELEASED TO OTTIER METHODS OF CONTROL MAKING ROOM IN JAIL FOR THOSE WHO ENDANGER OUR SOCIETY WITH DRUGS. A FIRST TIME DRUG OFFENDER SHOULD FACE A MINIMUM SENTENCE OF 5 YEARS, NOT RELEASED BECAUSE IT IS A FIRST OFFENSE, 5 YEARS IMMEDIATELY. THIS PAST YEAR WE HAVE SEEN CHANGE IN OUR CITY COUNCIL ME114BERS. WE LOST COUNCILMAN DEAN WOOD IN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. DEAN WAS AN OUTSTANDING COUNCILMAN. HE OFTEN TALKED OF VIEWS THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY THE POPULAR ONES BUT HE DID SEEK OUT INFORMATION BY SO DOING. DEAN WAS SO WELL RESPECTED THROUGHOUT OUR CITY AND THE SOUTHEAST IDAHO AREA. ACTIVE IN THE CHUBBUCK LIONS CLUB AND STATE ASSOCIATION INVOLVING THE LIONS PROGRAM. WE NTED TO BE AWARE OF DEAN'S WIFE A24D FAMILY. YOUNG CHILDREN WHO WILL NOW GO THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT A FATHER. RODNEY PARRISH, A LONGTIME BUSINESS MAN 7 IN OUR CITY AND A MEMBER OF THE FIRST CHUBBUCK LIONING BOARD. A WEALTli OF INFORMATION ABOUT SO MANY THINGS PERTAINING TO THE CITY. WE DIDN'T ALWAYS SEE EYE TO EYE ON SOME SUBJECTS BUT RODNEY WAS ONE TO LISTEN TO AS HE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. BROTHER BART ALSO A PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN AND BOTH OF THESE ACTIVE IN THE LIONS PROGRAM, PASSED ON ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO. THESE ARE LOSSES A COWUNITY CAN ILL AFFORD. TODAY, VELBERT JACKSON, ANOTHER BUSINESSMAN FOR MANY YEARS WAS TAKEN FROM US. WE LOST AN EX -CITY COUNCILMAN ALSO, WAYNE TAYLOR. WAYNE SO KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT CONSTRUCTION IN THE CITY AND ON THE BOARD AT A TIME WHEN WE HAD MUCH CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS. THE MAYOR 140MINATED KENT KERNS TO FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF COUNCILMAN DEAN WOOD. THE COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ACCEPTED THAT NOMINATION. KENT HAS HAD EXrENSIVE EXPERIENCE ON THE CHUBBUCK LAND USE BOARD BEING CHAIRMAN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HE BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE To THE COUNCIL. STEVE ENGLAND SELDOM MISSES HIS ASSIGNED MEETINGS, THOSE IN ADDITION TO COUNCIL MEETING, AND ALSO IS ONE I DEPEND ON FOR ALL THE EXPERIENCE HE AND I HAVE HAD TOGETHER. STEVE SMART AS PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR OFTEN GETS EMBROILED IN DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT TOO POPULAR BUT SEEMS TO WEATHER Tf-lE STORtC s ll�� '11� RON CONLIN, ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT CITY FINANCE AND IVE WILL BE DISCUSSING THIS IN THE FUTURE. AS I DIRECTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO ALL PURCHASING ABOVE $500 IS TO Go /THERE IS REASON FOR THIS CHANGE-. FROM NOW ON TO CONLIN 711EN THE MAYOR FOR APPROVAL. RON IS NOT GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE STATEMENTS THAT HE HAS NOT PASSED HIS APPROVAL ON. THIS EFFICTIVE IMMEDIATELY. WE HAVE EXCELLENT CITY EMPLOYEES AT EVERY LEVEL. THEY ARE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS IN SERVICE TO OUR CITY. OUR ffdPLOYEES ARE THE EYES AND EARS OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT. WE DEPEND ON =4 TO BE AWARE OF THE HAPPENINGS IN TIIE CITY AND REPORT THOSE THAT SEEM TO BE QUESTIONABLE. I ESPECIALLY CAUTION ALL OF US., MAYOR2 COUNCIL AND EMPLOYEES TO BE COURTEOUS TO OUR CITIZENS AND YES TO ANY PERSON WE MEET ON THE STREET WHO HAS A QUESTION ABOUT CITY OPERATIONS. WE WORK FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN CHUBBUCK. THEY PAY OUR SALARIES AND IVE NEED TO NEVER FORGET THIS. ON OCCASION WE DO NOT "MESH" WITH AN INDIVIDUALITY. IT IS EASY TO BECOME "UPSET". HOWEVER AS EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY WE MUST BE THE ONE TO TAKE THE FIRST "STEP BACK", SWALLOW A COUPLE OF TIMES AND KEEP OUR COOL. I SAY THIS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT. WE ARE NEVER WRONG IF WE ARE POLITE AND COURTEOUS REGARDLESS OF THE DISPOSITION OF THE PERSON TO WHOM WE ARE TALKING. ENUFF SAID. I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE CITY ATTORNEY. WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ATTORNEY WHO HAS HAD THE WELL BEING OF THIS CITY AS ALMOST HIS FIRST PRIORITY OR SO IT SEEMS. HOII�JES IS OUTSTANDING. AND I HEAR THE NEW ASSISTANT WHO WORKS WITH CRIMINAL FOR THE POLICE DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB. WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE THEM WITH US. NINETEEN NINlY NINE,IS THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF CHUBBUCK BECO14ING A VILLAGE AND THEN LATER A CITY. FIFTY YEARS HAVE PASSED. I'VE PLAN TO COMMEMORATE THIS EVENT. THE CHUBBUCK PRIDE COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY MARY RkRKER, ANOTHER lVTfO HAS GIVEN EXTENSIVELY OF HER TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WILL BE CHAIRING THIS EVENT. WE NEED EVERYONE TO BECOME INVOLVED. WE HAVE SET A DATE OF AUGUST 13-14, A FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, FOR THIS CELEBRATION. WE NEED YOUR IDEAS AND THOUGHTS, YOUR TIME IN PREPARATION TO MAKE THIS THE P40ST OUTSTANDING CELEBRATION OUR CITY HAS HAD. WE WILL BE INVITING PARTICIPATION FROM SCHOOLS, BANDS, CHURCHES, MILITARY UNITS IN OUR AREA, AMERICAN LEGION, VFW AND ALL THE OTHER VETERAN ORGANIZATIONS. I S-.� ll� Tl-fE OLD TR/E- CAR "BUFFS" AND THE- OLD TIME FIDDLERS. WE NEED TO CHECK WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES AND ENCOURAGE THF24 TO PARTICIPATE. WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT ON ANOT11ER LOCAL COMMUNITIES DAY OF CELEBRATION AS WELL. I WOULD HOPE THAT IN FIFTY YEARS FROM NOW THOSE WHO GUIDE OUR CITY WILL LOOK BACK TO THIS EVENT AND SAY "THEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB". I TRUST THAT 'MY WILL LOOK BACK AND BE SATISFIED THAT WE HAVE PERFORMED OUR DUTIES AS BEST WE COULD AT THIS TIME. WE ARE PROGRESSING IN OUR CITY. WE HAVE IMPROVED THE APPEARANCE OF MAIN STREET AND OTHER LOCATIONS WITH OUR "GREEN" ORDINANCE. I URGE ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR CLEAN UP PROGRAMS. IF YOU HAVE "JUNK" ITEMS, UNUSABLE ITEMS, IN YOUR YARD GET RID OF THEM. YOUR NEIGHBORS DO NOT ENJOY THE SCENERY. WE NEED TO CONTINUE THE EFFORT WE HAVE GOING IN THIS REGARD. WE ARE IMPROVING IN APPEARANCE AND WE CAN BECOME A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY. IF THERE IS ONE POSITIVE LEGACY WE CAN LEAVE TO FUTURE GENERATIONS IT IS THAT WE HAD "CHURBUCK PRIDE". OUR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS ARE THE ENVY OF OTHER CITIES AND YOU THE CITIZEN HAVE DONE THIS. WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MANY THINGS AND HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH MANY MORE THAT WILL MAKE OUR CITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE OUR "TOWN" A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. WE CAN CONTROL DRUGS, AND WE CAN CLEANUP. OUR PARK SYSTEM WILL BE RECEIVED IN THE FUTURE AS ONE OT THE POSITIVE THINGS WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. PARKS WILL BE HERE FOREVER AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL ENJOY THEM MORE THAN WE DO NOW. ONE IADRD OF CAUTION -WE M[UST CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OUR UTILITY RATES WITH AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THEM AS LOW AS IS POSSIBLE. WE HAVE PRICED A NUMBER OF PEOPLE OUT OF ABILITY TO PAY FOR OUR SERVICES. THIS IS TRAGIC. IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A GREEN CITY WE M�UST FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE WATER AT A MORE REASONABLE COST. EVERYONE MUST BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CITIES "GREEN" PROGRAM. I EXTEND MY "THANKS" TO ALL CONCERNED IN OUR CITY. LET US PASS THE MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO WILL BE HERE 50 YEARS FROM NOW THAT WE DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND DID ACCOMPLISH THE JOB ASSIGNED TO US. WE CAN MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN. MAYOR