The City Council met for its informal breakfast meeting on March 5.
Mayor Stevens opened the meeting by addressing meeting attendees and reviewing the format of the meeting. Although all City Council meetings are open to the public, most breakfast meetings are not widely attended. Breakfast meetings are structured for longer-range discussions on projects and issues, and other topics Council Members wish to discuss. Council Members agreed beforehand that this meeting would be dedicated to a discussion about immigration-related issues, requested by Council Member Herrera-Picasso.
Some Council Members provided opening remarks. Those remarks will not be summarized here and will be recorded in the meeting minutes. Mayor Stevens requested that Council Members limit the discussion to immigration-related issues. Council Members discussed the overall topic and did not take any action on this issue.
Vick Cemetery Update
Mayor Stevens provided an update on work at Vick Cemetery. He reported that a meeting was recently held between city officials, the state archeologist, representatives from New South, and community members involved with Vick Cemetery. The meeting addressed the material that was recently found in the ditch near the cemetery. Mayor Stevens reported that the material found was the top of a vault. Considering this discovery, the current project plan will be refined. Lentz said staff will prepare a briefing on the meeting and recommendations from the experts. The first phase of the plan will be brought to the Council for a vote during the regular business meeting on March 19.
The last item brought up is a demolition order for301 Broad Street. Mayor Pro-Tem Bell requested that the Council review the city’s action on the demolition. Mayor Pro-Tem Bell made a motion to add this issue to the March 19 agenda. The motion passed with a 5-2 vote.
City Council meets on the third Thursday evening each month throughout the year, and the morning meetings are held on the first Thursday morning most months, with breaks in January, July, August and December.
City Council’s next meeting is Thursday, March 19 at 7 p.m.
