President for a Night

Mike Kafton, Council President, was unable to attend the meeting on Tuesday. This came about just two meetings after I was elected Vice President. And I thought all that the title got me was a parking space closer to the door. I was wrong.

The actual meeting itself went very smoothly and ended at 8:30PM. I really thought we had a shot at getting home early. But alas, I was mistaken.

I have run many meetings in my life, and some of them could have gotten out of hand. This was clearly one of them. There was a very emotional issue brought before us during the public portion of the meeting. The "Manhattan Street Project" is a water treatment plant being constructed on London Drive behind the Holman School. The main municipal parties involved are the MUA and the Board of Education. Several residents were at the meeting to talk about this issue. They do not want the building on the site that has been selected. Since Dave Harpell from the MUA, Bill Allman from the MUA Board, and the water project engineer were all present at the meeting, I knew that the people's questions would be answered. After we ascertained that there was going to be an honest give and take, everyone calmed down long enough to listen to each other and express their points of view. Although the meeting lasted long, it was not a shout fest, and that was all I asked. I have already taken a drive through the project, But I will be walking the site with Scott Martin, Mr. Harpell, the Mayor, and Mrs. Hamburg ( a resident) . I hope we will be able to put some of the issues to rest, but I am sure it will be brought up again at a Council meeting.

I have been told that the meeting ran very well. But let me say this. Welcome back, Mike.