Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 31
able to regain the momentum and the inertia that having such a draw and such an attraction brings to the
traffic downtown.
Paul Shea and Great American Downtown has come up with 20 different ways that we have never (audio
cuts out) in the intermediate time whether it is the New Muse Festivals or Farmer’s Market or all that kind
of, you know, keep the pilot light alive and keep businesses downtown having customers come to them.
Even most recently with the COVID-19 when we had to manage how to give them outdoor seating, we
have been working very hard to keep downtown (inaudible) and flourishing place. But that is taking its toll
and | think those are opportunities that if we actually had the anchor we lost in Alec’s Shoe Store, those
efforts would be much, much more effective. So | think we need to look at the bigger picture here. We
need to move this Performing Arts Center forward, my biggest dissatisfactory note as Alderman, that we
have taken so long to push this project forward when it is so needed downtown.
And | understand what the need was for process and | am glad we’ve managed to bring some of the more
advocate opponents such as Mr. Teeboom around by making sure that it was designed in a way that was
well thought out, but it is well passed time that we do this. We need it more than ever, we are looking a
likely economic downturn and the first thing that people are going to want to do in the next year and the
year following is go out and be around people again. And this is an opportunity for us to give our residents
the opportunity to do that in a new venue and a new place while giving it the best possible chance for
success. So | hope Aldermen will join me in doing this because this effort and this project that we are
working on has now already yielded results, it’s time to harvest it, it’s time to move forward, it’s time to get
the building projects off the ground. It’s time to start building housing and it’s time to start building a
Performing Arts Center.
President Wilshire
Anyone else? The motion is for final passage? Not seeing anyone. Would the Clerk please call the roll?
A viva voce roll call was taken which resulted as follows:
Yea: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Klee, Alderwoman Kelly, Alderman Dowd,
Alderman Clemons, Alderman Lopez, Alderman Tencza,
Alderman Schmidt, Alderman Laws, Alderman Cleaver,
Alderwoman Harriott-Gathright, Alderman Wilshire 12
Nay: Alderman Caron, Alderwoman Lu, Alderman Jette 3
MOTION CARRIED
Resolution R-20-071 declared duly adopted.
R-20-076
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman Skip Cleaver
Alderman Thomas Lopez
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
AUTHORIZING AN ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACT AND LEASE FINANCING
ARRANGEMENT
