Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 14
would be brilliant. He is a hard worker and someone who has a lot of energy to take care of all these
things. Hearing all of these things, | am definitely for this and | am glad it’s coming from the TIF and not the
taxpayers even.
Alderwoman Lu
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman, Madam President rather. Thank you for the information, | still feel the
same way that | did and perhaps, would it be helpful, well | think over the period of the pandemic | think that
there has not been the contact with the City Departments, maybe just the updates with the General Board
of Aldermen that | had expected. Maybe | need a better understanding of how the Great American
Downtown Organization intersects as a (audio cuts out) our City employees but | think part of my objection
to this is just being presented with we want to spend $24,000.00 on this and now it turns out, well it’s not
really that. | guess | would feel a lot better if the communications and the contracts were written with the
expectation that they are going to be read and that we don’t have to wonder why a dance in the middle of
COVID-19 would be a good idea to spend $24,000.00. | know that the Riverfront Project is great, | thought
that the yoga at the Greeley House was simply an effort of a private enterprise (audio cuts out) into the
open where they could have people come and join a class without the restrictions of 50%. Just a thought
that we are off-sourcing the business of the Community Development or rather the Economic Development
without a clear understanding. | would just feel better if it was described more precisely or more exactly as,
no this isn’t $24,000.00 for a dance. We need to keep this guy going, or this organization going and | don’t
know, it sounds like they need a steady stream of income from the City to do their mission. And that is
what | am hearing and | just would like more, for it to be a little bit more upfront. Thank you.
President Wilshire
| don’t think anybody was not trying to be upfront. | think what’s in the contract is in the contract. Great
American Downtown has done a lot here in the City. They are having financial troubles because of COVID,
because they haven’t had any income because their fundraisers have been down. But | think they were on
the up and up with all of this. | don’t think there was anyone trying to pull anything over on us.
Alderwoman Lu
| don’t — may | follow up on that. No | don’t mean that Director Cummings or Great American Downtown,
we just need better communication about, you know, to start off saying this is for the Riverfront Project for a
dance and then to say, well no it is for whatever we might decide. That’s what! am saying is not, ok, let’s
not say (audio cuts out).
President Wilshire
Alderman Lu, we can’t hear you. Are you all set?
Alderwoman Lu
Yup.
President Wilshire
Anyone else on the motion to accept, place on file and approve the contract? Alderman Clemons.
Alderman Clemons
Thank you. So just a quick question, did this go before Finance Committee? Or is this the first time we are
hearing it?
