City Administrator Joel Walinkski’s Friday Memo of June 26

Joel-WalinskiThe Friday Memo, written by Northfield City Administrator Joel Walinski and various department directors, managers, and supervisors, summarizes many of the staff activities for the week.

fridaymemothumbThe Friday memos are published and archived in PDF form at the bottom of Joel Walinski’s web page. Friday’s memo and accompanying documents can be found on the memo page for the week.

This week’s memo includes information on a potential EDA loan to the owners of the Archer House to help with gap financing for a substantial and much-needed renovation. The memo also included a nice note of thanks to those, including yours truly, who have been intensely involved in the work of the draft Land Development Code (thank you, Joel!)

It’s a fairly slow week for meetings at City Hall this week, in part because there are five Mondays and Tuesdays in June (regular meetings are usually the 1st/3rd or 2nd/4th Mondays or Tuesdays of the month), and in part due to the July 4 holiday. You can view all City meetings here on the City calendar.

NOTE: The Library is closed on Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4 this week.

3 Comments

  1. norman butler said:

    I continue to be amazed at how inaccessible the draft Land Development Code is – and therefore our ability to comment.

    June 29, 2009
  2. David Ludescher said:

    Ditto to Norman’s comment. I just tried to look at it on the computer, and it is too small to see. Add that to the incredible length, and is hard to see how any productive comments will be forthcoming.

    Steve Engler and Kiffi both had some good comments. I attended the Chamber meeting and the only thing I understood was that the Code was the result of “cognitive dissonance”. Tracy, I know you were joking, but seriously ….

    June 29, 2009
  3. kiffi summa said:

    Ok Norm and David, If I can read it online you can! I’m sure you’re both way more tech savvy than I am.
    I think there should have been copies at the library; a reference one that’s there all the time, and a couple that check out for three to five days. Have people forgotten that the library SHOULD be the primary info source?
    Tracy would give me an argument on the above, but it is ridiculous to try to read online; I did start reading it there but then Victor brought home a copy.

    The truth of the matter is that it is too long and involved, requires flipping back and forth to get any real understanding, and that an online version is just not a practical way to get any degree of public comment.

    I’m tired of “public input” as an empty concept; just saying” well, we solicited public input, but didn’t really get any” doesn’t ‘wash’. It has to be done in a meaningful way, to get a meaningful result.
    The PC is very genuinely serious about wanting public input, but let’s face it… that hasn’t truly been facilitated.

    June 29, 2009

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