Board of Aldermen 6-23-2020 Page 15
Director Cummings
If | may, Madam President? So it’s technically that $24,000.00 it would not actually be required to go
before Finance Committee. Putting that whole issue aside, the way that the TIF Legislation that was written
and adopted by the Board of Alderman a while back, says that any contract has to be approved by the
Board of Aldermen. So any contract that is TIF related, needs full Board of Aldermen approval and is not a
Finance Committee process.
Alderman Clemons
OK, so just to sort of back up what Alderman Lu said, if there’s anything like this coming in the future, if you
could just provide an explanation for us, | think that would be helpful. But! do think that the contract itself, if
you took the time to read it, was pretty upfront. | kind of understood where it was going but | wasn’t sure if
it was something that had gone before Finance before. So thank you very much.
President Wilshire
Anyone else? Alderman Lopez.
Alderman Lopez
Yeah just a reminder, my fellow Aldermen that when all have our video on it slows down the bandwidth, so
those of us with less bandwidth can’t be heard. But | wanted to say some of what Alderman Clemons had
said is for the public, we did get this in advance and we did have the opportunity read it. Obviously living in
Ward 41 am more familiar with GAD so | kind of understood both the contract and the Dancing in the Street
happened for several years. So there is nothing | think that was insinuated to be “under the table” and |
definitely don’t think there actually was anything. If anything, Alderman Jette did his job a little more
thoroughly than usually and was the one who brought up the whole Dancing in the Street thing. And | think
it was a completely logical concern that was raised by Alderman Klee and Alderman Schmidt, | mean we
can’t just have something called, “Dancing in the Streets” go by and not comment on the social distancing
aspect and all of that.
| would just say that unless we want to start micromanaging events and | have put in my time doing that, so
| would not recommend it. GAD does it well, they are doing it in concert with Economic Development, who
is also doing things well. | have not always agreed with their decisions in the past but we can’t really argue
with how effectively the concrete blocks are going or how businesses that would otherwise be struggling,
are doing business in a very, very different way. So this is a time when we have to be a little flexible and
we have to let the people who are going to spend all week working on passion project, do that kind of stuff.
| also appreciate the attention to process that we have seen, and it is important that we communicate to the
public effectively.
But | think GAD has a pretty solid track record. As a non-profit they exist almost exclusively to do things for
us. So! think we can trust them to kind of take this project and do it really well. And | don’t just mean the
Dancing in the Streets because | am probably not going to go to that. But! think they will find a way to use
this effectively and in a way that promotes downtown and vibrancy in whatever shape it takes, | think we
will all be happy with it.
President Wilshire
Anyone else? | see five hands raised but no one wants to talk. So if you don’t want to speak, can you un-
raise your hand, put your hand down. Ok the motion is to accept, place on file and approve the contract.
Further discussion? Seeing none, would the clerk please call the roll?
