Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 38
Alderman Deane
| was under the impression that we were elected to make these decisions. That’s fine and well and you can
make all the remarks you want from the gallery but you vote people out of office, that’s what you do. You don’t
have to include me in that package, but that’s normally when you don’t agree with decisions and the votes that
people make then you vote against them. That’s the authority that you have as a citizen, and | respect that.
Alderman Clemons
True, and | would agree with Alderman Deane that obviously this is going to be a big election issue. The
people who voted tonight, as well as the people who voted yes, will have to face the citizens. But | think since
the majority of the Board of Aldermen, who is elected, voted for this tonight, it did get a 8-6 vote, the majority of
us said yes, we should put it on the ballot and let people speak. If you decide afterwards that you are still not
going to follow what the citizens say because | think it’s going to win, but if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. If you decide
you're still going to vote the way you are going to vote afterwards, it is a non-binding resolution. At least you
will know where the citizens stand.
Alderman Lopez
Alderman Deane made a reasonable point. We are elected to make decisions. But | think we are also trusted
to make those decisions based on the information in front of us and the evidence at hand. We did go through
this whole performing arts feasibility study which specifically identified what would work and where it would
work. | heard some speculation as to whether that process was steered without any real evidence saying that
it was. I’ve heard people say that they would prefer a venue or a performance that is larger than what is being
recommended by the feasibility study we just went through. So, personally, | am listening to my constituents
and | am using my own judgment. | asked as many questions as | could identify in order to troubleshoot the
decision-making and say, am | doing right by the people at home who aren't aware. | also listened to people
who show up. This is a public meeting, and it is a very engaging public meeting. There is a huge public
turnout. | think it would be a little bit silly for us to ignore the other side of our responsibility which is to listen to
what people are asking us to do.
Alderman O’Brien
During the deliberations | did hear there were some questions, and some people did question on the petitions,
and | talked to many more people. | agree with you. Put this on the ballot and let’s exactly know what the
people say. | think it’s a continuation of due process. To Alderman Deane, | most certainly agree with you 100
percent, but the horse has already left the barn. We have a sitting alderman and a former alderman suing the
city when we duly voted on something already. | wish people would listen. We do have the right to govern, but
unfortunately it seems like they have the right to challenge as well.
A viva voce roll call was taken which resulted as follows:
Yea: Ald. Wilshire, Ald. Clemons, Ald. Dowd,
Ald. Caron, Ald. Siegel, Ald. Melizzi-Golja
Ald. McGuinness, Ald. O’Brien, Ald. Lopez,
Ald. McCarthy 10
Nay: Ald. Deane, Ald. Cookson, Ald. Schoneman
Ald. LeBrun 4
MOTION CARRIED
