Finance Committee - 04/21/2021 Page 8
Alderwoman Lu
I’m just finishing please?
Alderman Klee
Well | wanted to make a clarification to you Alderwoman Lu through the Mayor if that’s ok.
Mayor Donchess
Go ahead. We will come back to you Alderwoman Lu as soon as we get a full explanation here.
Alderman Klee
| wanted to make it clear, unless | am mistaken, the City is part of the Mill Yard Association is that not correct?
Mayor Donchess
That is correct.
Alderman Klee
So we are kind of a member of that Association which is another reason why we chose this. It works better to
buy it but it is not like the City wasn’t already part of the Association because of the Nimco Building and so on. |
just wanted to get that clarification out there for you Alderwoman Lu.
Mayor Donchess
Alderwoman Lu, please?
Alderwoman Lu
So | just wondered, | understand, | mean even if you feel certain that you still feel that a $50,000.00 investment
in a feasibility study is a good idea and | just, you know, it just seems unusual that you would — this piece of
property probably doesn’t have a lot of other people trying to buy it so why you wouldn’t wait until after you had
the report done and then bought it. But a purchase of property goes through the Board of Aldermen?
Mayor Donchess
This is not to approve the purchase. This will require an appropriation of money to make the purchase take
place. Now as it happens there were other people that wanted to buy this parcel. As soon as the City
indicated that we wanted to acquire it, and again, even if weren’t for the dog park, this should be acquired as
part of the park to prevent the following. The competing potential purchaser and there may have been more
than one, wanted to buy it in the hopes of establishing a private parking lot down there. And the word
purchase by a private owner could exclude members of the public. So this purchase, if that had gone in that
direction it would not have been good for Mine Falls Park. So this purchase either way is a good thing for the
park and for the City and for the downtown, in my opinion anyway. Alderman O’Brien.
Alderman O’Brien
Thank you Mr. Mayor. | think this is a wonderful idea. So that everyone else don’t misconstrue my question but
if Mr. Cummings wants to come back or Ms. Chizmas if you can answer it as well, equally as well. Basically
from my information, | got to choose which comes first the chicken or the egg?
