1984/02/01 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

• • 40 ,Cri".11 - • • February 1,1984 Councilman Gipson pointed out the Navy was not dealing solely with the City,but mainly dealing with the Port of Everett and if the • Port accepted the Navy's proposition,he questioned how the City , could do anything except the actual permit process necessary for then:to establish here. • • Councilman Langus agreed and Said the City actually had nothing to talk about until the pore had signed the lease with the se,and then the City could get into the action. ,•. •• °fee.Aenea,CitY Attorney,said he again wamted to recommend from a legal standpoint that no commitmmnt be made until something is in front of the Council. He s.d also he wanted to point out that if .• a popular vote was held a.an overwhelmingly yes or no tots came in,during the permit process it could look as if the Coencil were swayed by the vote of the people. He Bead again it is a legal type of vote,but it might affect the credibility of the.Council during this process. • . said yes,this was true. Councilman Morrow then said he had a motion to make later that would not be a yes or no vote,but it might get information needed by the Council as to the concerns of the citizens. • •• President Stephenson felt it was the Council's responsibility to represent the people and ii was their ultimate decision to make for the good of the City and if a popular vote was held it could cause problems,with both sides polling,political.campaigning,etc.and splitting the City right down the middle possibly. President Stephenson then ask.Councilman Morrow to state his I proposal to the Council,not as a motion but just as information • • and Councilman Morrow said the following: `The City Council survey I , the citizens of Everett through a questionnaire mailed in the utility bills during the year-long environmental impact study. The purpose of the questionnaire would be to solicit vaZious views,cqntemplated ! imPaete.eUggestions and questiOns that need to be pondered during the year-long study. The questionnaire could be on-going,mailed out as many as three times to catch the trends and needed updating. The questionnaire design would be planned by 6 people of varying backgrounds and interests selected by the Council: human service • • individual,Chamber of Commerce representative,Port Gardner Infor- • •• mation League person,City staffer,neighborhood group person and League of Women Voters member.. President Stephenson then asked for public input from someone who had to leave the meeting and Mae Stork,of 1512 Baker,spoke. She Said she was Vice-President of the Everett Chaper of FUSE,and said they suPPort the concept of a public referendum on the issue of locating the Navy here. She said it would be appropriate for this referendum fo°cc.=at the comPletion of public hearings on all aspects of the • af,er voter.have hed the oPPortunity to become thoroughly • informed. Ceuncilman Lenges eeggested that a public referendum might set a precedent so that at any other time when a large industry or develop- mmnt wanted to come into the City a vote would have to be held. Councilman Pope pointed out that of the 63 people speaking at the public hearing November 17th for the at the Courthouse,only 9 of them asked a public vote by citizens. ..