Live Blog Attempt of the Council Briefing on Library (Edited Slightly)

Here's we go . . .

NOTE: The meeting got done about 1:14, these are the notes as I got them at the time. I hope I did ok. Please excuse the likely additional/traditional typos. You'll want to start reading from the bottom to read it chronologically.

NOTE 2: I edited a few sections so it was more clear, more editing to do, if I get to it.

1:13. Clear says that Bruer would have been here but his mother passed away. Mayor wraps up ans says feel free to contact Mayor, Widder or Palm.

1:12 Clear says that they may have a council briefing before the meeting on the 13th. Kerr says that is good, but she says that we should talk to the alder. T Wall proposal is not something Kerr is willing to support. Kerr walking out the door.

1:10 Kerr thanks Widder, pretty dismayed by whole thing, more comfortable now, thought renovation might be good positive, but concerned about how go to where they are. She wants to hear from Verveer before she supports it. Still his district, sorry he's not here, urge colleagues to consider talking directly with Verveer. She doesn't know where he is, if this was in your district would want colleagues to touch base with you before coming to conclusions. Kerr is leaving.

1:09 Clear says rebuild was more of a runner up than T Wall proposal. Clear says no one said we need to look at T Wall option.

1:08 Cnare asks why we can't pick up the runner up. i.e. T Wall. Mayor says uh . . . Widder says all same pitfalls of what we just went through. We could end up in the same place. Mixed use and that always was something that bothered him. But, its more to process, could spend 6 months negotiating. Palm says Wall had a new place to move library at every meeting. Mayor says they want a stand alone library. Capital Neighborhoods didn't support Wall. Cnare leaves

1:05 Schmidt says that we should do it right and move the library if we need to. Palm says we have done this condo thing before, library board was confident they could do it. Over time, more and more people in city government and Mayor's office got less comfortable because we were losing more control over design and details. That would have been one of the biggest issues with council, we had little control over exterior. Palm says more options with rebuild. Schmidt says trying to say he's willing to move library to make it right.

1:03 Schmidt says he asked Kunkler if they could do it. He said the look was pained but he said he could do it. $38.5 was entire project. Schmidt asks when that changed. Mayor says that they just couldn't move off their number, maybe they were hoping we would cut money from our interior space or increase public fundraising but $10M was tough. Palm says a lot of alders asked and got same response. Clear says it was a pained yes.

1:01 Schmidt asks about the process and RFP. Mayor says that the surplus property process requires people to get option to purchase. Schmidt asks if it is the sale of the site. No one answers. Widder says that buying new land would require RFP. Palm points out a similar situation where they didn't. Palm says that there are different things that trip the RFP. Mayor says they could work with one developer and sell it to them, but for a site of the prominence and importance, doesn't see us doing that.

1:00 Clear says that it is as much of a function of space. Palm says yes, if had computer lab could do more. Need more space. That is one of reasons by 104,000 isn't enough and 126,000 is better.

12:57 Maniaci asks about the cost gap, new materials and technologies, she wants a 21st century library, not happy with state of collection. Widder says top to bottom total rebuild only thing same is structure and location. Widder says goal is that square footage will make more accessible to the public to display primary collection as well as IT for 21st century. Maniaci asks about collection materials. Palm says that is a different issue, should talk to budget staff, operating budget issue. Palm says what we have is not bad, just too small. We don't have 1980 computer, they are good, great databases, how do we expand the use to meet demands, but the true collection should talk to library staff. Widder says it is operational issue. Widder says spend $1M each year on materials, if they had more they would spend more.

12:55 Maniaci asks will the library move or stay in place?. Widder says designers will have to figure that out. Can be done in phases but will add cost. Looking at taking collection out to another space and cheaper retail downtown. Maniaci says central collection is there and it will impact all branches and advocates taking it to some warehouse space. Widder says they are looking at it.

12:53 Maniaci asks about fundraising, how much will it be and will it be harder if people aren't excited about a new building. What have you been hearing from donors. Widder says to forget what current building looks like. Says if we take it down to skeleton it will be something none of us can imagine. Says at time they were looking at it they said $5M for rehab, they have retained outside fundraising consultant to figure it out, but design can be exciting and it will determine what they can raise. $5 -7M is the goal. Says one foundation is exciting.

12:51 Cnare asks about all the other grand ideas out there. Mayor talks about DMI discussion, thinks they made a great statement, would like to see it work but if it doesn't they support moving ahead on current site. DMI statement is reasonable. What Mayor has said is he will talk to anyone, but he doesn't think going back to square one is a realistic option. Mayor says we've been working on it over a decade, money is in the budget, requires additional action by you guys but not a budget amendment. If go back to square one, will have to re-fight this in 2011 budget, won't know where end up, but can be sure will cost us more.

12:49 Says that supported this last fall, but once phase 2 was pulled off, he thinks they got cold feet, once that was off he endorses what Mayor is doing now. Says that using underutilized capital parking ramp is a big issue for him. At another site parking will be an issue. Doesn't want a long debate about why it fell apart.

12:47 Maniaci? asks how you came to $5M apart. Mayor explained, I missed it. Clear and Kerr have exchange about the numbers they looked at. Kerr says that the numbers they are talking about is not what was in the budget. Mayor says what made the project sing was the room taxes on the hotel, that was the project they liked. When they pulled off phase two, we retain the asset, but we don't know what happens and then all the numbers get turned around.

12:43 Kerr says budget was $37, they said $38.x, how did this break down over 4% of the project? This is not atypical. By order of magnitude, this doesn't make sense. This seems odd. She uses a house example. Mayor says he has walked away from house over 4%. Mayor says hard to go back to council with these number which are greater than consultants said it should cost. $1.3M over is what council voted for, can't go back and ask for $1M to $1.5M more. Kerr asks about looking at other aspects of the project to get to 4% of the deal, did you look at anything else besides financing. Mayor says no. Widder says that they asked them to go back and look at the project and they couldn't shave any costs. They said they couldn't deliver for $23. Mayor says also 15 vote budget item. Kerr says not want to add, wanted to shave costs.

12:42 Maniaci asks why condo was taken off table over $900,000. Mayor says closer to $2M they were going to gurantee the price 23.9 and additional costs of interest and parking and it all added up to $2M. Fiore took it off the table. Says it was Fiore's idea.

12:41 Clear asks about timing and air rights and entitlements. Mayor says guessing. Widder says that Fiore teams didn't want to just be a seller of air rights.

12:40 Clear asks why phase 2 came off the table. Mayor says he doesn't know, it would just be speculation. They had multiple partners. Fiore is land holder and landlord, Ergens is a developer, Epstein Uhen is architect and Findorff was construction. Thinks it was something about their structure, but that is speculation.

12:34 Clear asks how we got here, how did it shift from Fiore to public works? How did that decision get made and when? Mayor says that T Wall was the beginning, T Wall has a project, needed a process. Process started with mixed use condo project like Sequoia, T Wall proposed the same, so that was what was anticipated and why responses came in the way they did. Went through long process and Fiore won. They weren't comfortable with the public-private partnership, but they did it. What turned them was that they couldn't get to $37M cuz wanted to build $14M on interior. Fiore couldn't guarantee less than $23.9 for the shell and they needs $23M, so they started looking at air rights and costs to develop project. Mayor says that costs were cost of doing business but Fiore said you are taking the project we designed, but what are they paying for. Mayor asks for a list, they never did it, gave us one number. They wanted over $1M. Mayor says if go to building on the site, straight public works, like building a fire station. Does that answer your question.

12:33 Palm says he wants to hear what others have to say.

12:32 There was only one copy of the handout for the three reporters, but I think the last two sections capture it all.

12:29 Widder says that if we wait it will cost more and we will get less. Construction costs will go up. Deferred maintenance could cost serious money. Delay means would need to start from scratch (acquire site, pay for structural costs which we already have and parking might be an issue. New Market Tax Credits will be harder to get (less projects and competition now) and there are limits to funding sources (Borrowing can't go over $17M, private fundraising is a challenge, new market tax credit issues)

12:26 Tripp Widder, Library President, served over 10 years. has a hand out to address why this is the best location for rebuild of the property. It is within 1 block of State St and Cap Square so more foot traffic. Adjacent to Overture and Museums. Allows for stand alone library which is best for identity. Close to existing municipal parking ramp that is underutilized. Serves as neighborhood/branch library to new developments (condos) downtown. Easier to operate and staff. This will have better loading, concern with Fiore was shared loading. Library board on record strongly supporting current location. We own the site. [He also noted Fiore project was selected because preserved existing location.)

12:24 Says point is we can build a great library and not compromise and in some ways better cuz more space and greener. Just as exciting as Firore project.

12:20 He says the advantages of new building are that they will have 1/3 more space, project will be done 12 to 14 months sooner, this will be one of the greenest greenest building, it will take more less private fundraising, and it will be more efficient to run. Says others can talk about it later. Shows other library remodels. Maniaci joins the group, up to 7 alders now.

12:17 Why the quick pivot? Mayor attempts to explain his flip-flop. But really he just explains how long the different scenarios will take. Rebuild is 24 months, New site is 50 months. Bids would go out 15 months later with new project and they would need to recreate process, rewrite RFP, etc. Construction on current site is 12 months, would be 24 months on new site. Would lose advantages of construction bids, people need jobs now, great alternative. Existing library will continue to deteriorate.

12:16 Points out language in budget from Mallards saying its a sample of how they did put negotiations in the budget and the budget isn't a done deal.

12:14 Mayor shows Fiore info from previous meetings that he says alders saw. The documents shows $35.7 is what consultants said it should cost and $35M for public works project. Mayor points out August 24 email from Fiore that says they will work to get to the number in the Mayor's budget.

12:09 How'd we get here. Mayor says the budget was 17M in borrowing, Fiore's last offer was 22.5M. $17M in borrowing for reconstructed library with half and full 3rd floor. Total is $37M in budget, $38.5 was last offer from Fiore, $27M total for half a 3rd floor and $30M for a full third floor. He cautions these are preliminary numbers, he needs to hire folks to get more concrete numbers. In terms of revenue for the project $4M is lost because there will be no sale of the building and New Market Tax Credits drops form $6 to $4.5M or $5M. Fundraising drops from $10M to $5.5M - $8M. But, we will have 126,500 square feet or 139,000 square feet of building instead of 104,000. Cnare now here as well as Kerr, we have 6 alders.

12:07 Mayor starts out with a brief overview. He says there will be pictures of new libraries that are reconstructions. Same presentation he will give later at Library Board. Claussius joins the 3 alders.

12:05 Continuing to admire Larry Palm's iPad, meeting not started yet.

12:03 So far, Mayor is in the hallway talking to the press. Clear, Palm and Schmidt the only alders here. A handful of staff and reporters. Powerpoint is set up. Will need to get a copy later. Read more!

This Side of Town, the TV Version

Well, I survived my first taping, learned a lot, got over my nervousnesss and am thinking about continuing, but now its time for you to be the judge - just cut me a little slack, cuz it is, after all, my first show! There's also a second show I'll be on this week about blogging. Here's how you can check it out!

MY PILOT SHOW
Show: This Side of Town

Guests: I talk with School Board President Arlene Silveira about the school board budget challenge, Alders Mike Verveer and Marsha Rummel about the Downtown Library and Eddgewater Hotel and County Board Chair Scott McDonell about challenges facing the county (budget!), Tuesday's elections and RTA.

Schedule:
SAT 4/3 1:00pm
MON 4/5 3:00am
MON 4/5 4:30pm
WED 4/7 11:30am
WED 4/7 9:00pm
SAT 4/10 5:00am
SAT 4/10 6:00pm

Charter subscribers, tune in to Channel 991 (digital) or Channel 95 (analog).
Not a Charter subscriber or don't have a TV? Tune in online at www.wyou.org and click on "Watch Now."

A BONUS SHOW
Show: Progressive Voices

Guests: Host Rick Richards talks to me, Kristin Czubkowski from the Capital Times and Jason Joyce from the Isthmus about blogging, the media and the future.

Schedule:
SAT 4/3 2:00pm
MON 4/5 4:00am
SAT 4/10 2:00pm

A SPECIAL CHALLENGE
If you like these shows, let us know by donating (see below). I am considering continuing doing this on a regular basis, but only if it adds value, which I think it has potential to do, but I'd like to hear from you. If you donate and mention "This Side of Town" or as people have been calling it "Brenda's Blog Show" I'll know its worth continuing. You see, because of funding issues, WYOU is struggling to stay on the air past the end of this year, and its time for the community to step up and help show it is important to the community. My show won't exist without WYOU and WYOU (where the W in WYOU now stands for Willy Street) won't exist without YOU.

Check out what Barbara Lawton tells Ech Vedder on Luciano's Willy St TV show about WYOU (and enjoy a little Catfish Stevenson):


DONATIONS NEEDED
Because of cuts in public funding, WYOU needs your support. The move to our new location on Williamson Street is exciting and saves the station money, but is only one part of the solution. To continue providing locally produced programming to the television medium in Madison, as well as equipment for the station and technical education for the community, this spring fundraiser is critical.

Come see the new station location and make a housewarming donation in person. Donations can also be made by calling the station (608.258.9644) or by visiting the website and donating online at www.wyou.org. A membership donation is $50. Give more if you can. Any amount is welcome. Volunteers will be available to assist with your pledge and answer any questions you may have. Donations can be made via cash, check, Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover and Paypal.

REDISCOVER WYOU
Please show your support for WYOU. Throughout the week, I'll highlight a few other shows that would be good to watch . . .
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Mayor's Non-vite to the Alders to Discuss the Library

Wow, the Mayor has become so blatant in his disrespect to the council its kind of staggering.

At 4:00 yesterday afternoon - the mayor's office sent out this non-vite to the alders:

From: Phair, Connie
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 4:12 PM
To: ALL ALDERS; CL Meetings
Cc: Harmon, Ray; Piraino, Janet; Strauch-Nelson, Rachel
Subject: 04/05/2010: Council Briefing on Central Library (Please post)

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, Tripp Widder, and Library Board member Alder Larry Palm will be holding a briefing (brown bag luncheon) for the Common Council on the Central Library project on:

Monday, April 5, 2010
12:00 p.m.
Room 260, MMB

Please find attached the notice for this meeting. If you have questions, feel free to contact Ray Harmon in the Mayor’s Office at (608) 266-4611.

Alders, please reply to this email to confirm your attendance.

Thank you,
Connie

Alder Rummel's response:

Mayor-
If you or staff had at least checked in with all alders with some potential meeting dates and the majority could meet at noon, it would be easier for me to accept that I could not attend. But you did not.

This briefing appears to give you cover to go to the Library Board on Monday before the resolution has even been introduced. Don't forget the Library Board commissioned HGA who presented three rehab option during the Surplus committee meeting discussion, I believe they know what it could entail.

The bottom line? You will have met with DMI Exec and the Library Board before discussing your proposed change of course with the full council. I object.

Marsha

Well said. But I don't think the mayor really cares. He's in charge here, and doesn't care what the council thinks, if he can manage the media and make it look like a done deal then those who ask questions can be dismissed as being obstructionists. Now be a good girl and quiet down and let the men make the important decisions, no need to worry your pretty little head.
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Library (Shades of Edgewater Craziness)

And the twisting and turning and arm twisting continues . . . It looks like the logic behind council actions on the library will be a tortured as the some of the things going on with the Edgewater..

BUDGET LANGUAGE
This is what the council passed:

New Central Library
This project includes sufficient funding for a Central Library project. In their evaluation, development and design of the new Central Library, City staff is directed to study and consider the feasibility of including either a rooftop intensive community garden and/or a green roof. This project includes $1.6 million of borrowing reauthorized from 2009. Other funding in 2010 includes $6 million from the New Markets Tax Credit Program and $4 million from the sale of land. Private contributions of $10 million are anticipated in 2011 and 2012 ($5 million in each year). The City will not commence any significant portion of the construction of its portion of the project until it has received assurance that the federal New Markets Tax Credits are available.

I looked at it yesterday to prepare for my show, because I recalled Verveer saying that the budget language didn't say "new" and that is why they don't need to amend the budget. Well, I found some more surprises in there, and asked Rummel and Verveer about them. I'll get the interview up on Monday to see their responses, meanwhile . . . here's few things to think about.

RESOLUTION TO CHANGE BUDGET
This is the resolution Clear and Palm have drafted:

WHEREAS, the 2010 Capital Budget includes $23,000,000 for a new Central Library; and
WHEREAS, the new library project was dependent on successful negotiations with a developer for several phases of the project; and
WHEREAS, these negotiations were not successful; and
WHEREAS, the existing Central Library building systems are past end-of-life usage, and the current building is not adequate for 21st century library operations; and
WHEREAS, the structure of the existing building is sound and capable of being expanded by an additional story; and
WHEREAS, a re-imagined Central Library, built around the structure of the existing building, can be architecturally beautiful, environmentally sustainable, economically feasible, technologically advanced, operationally efficient, aesthetically welcoming and can function as a vital community asset for many years to come;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Council supports rebuilding of the
existing Central Library.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 2010 Capital Budget, Library Project #2, is amended to strike the word "new" and replace it with "rebuilt."
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Common Council supports the ongoing process of
Engineering Division Facilities Management to recommend an architect and design engineering firm for this project and present a contract to the Council for approval.
City

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RESOLUTION
So, my first question is, where did this negotiation come from? What was to be negotiated? I thought there was a surplus committee and an RFP process and that was either accepted or rejected. But oops, wait, it looks like the council never voted on it - I think this turns out to be the fatal flaw. Instead they put money in the budget and made amendments (Amendment 1, 2 and 3) to the budget, but those just totally got ignored.

My second question is, what's the fiscal note on this, they are looking for co-sponsors, but there's no fiscal note. That would seem to have a very significant impact on the resolution and could result in this having to be a 15 vote item.

My other biggest questions are covered by Rummel:

From: Rummel, Marsha
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 8:27 PM
To: Clear, Mark; Palm, Larry; Verveer, Mike
Cc: May, Michael; Brasser, Dean
Subject: RE: Central Library resolution

Amending the Cap budget Library Project 2 by deleting the word 'new' and replacing it with 'rebuilt' does not address the adopted budget language of $6m in new market tax credits and $4m from the sale of the existing building.

Can someone provide an explanation?

Thanks

Marsha

There are many, many, many other questions, which will come soon, but those are the biggies. A taste of other things to think about are any where will the library be relocated during rehab? Will there still be community gardens on the roof top? Is the Mayor's timeline at all realistic? What's going on behind the scenes as the Mayor plows forward on the project regardless of what the council thinks? etc. etc. etc.

PALM EXPLAINS

Hello fellow council members-

I've been talking to a few of you about the unsuccessful effort to move the Central Library to the Network 222 site and sell the current site for redevelopment. As you know that deal did not (has not) worked out. As the Library Board member I was not part of the negotiations but as a Board of Public Works member I know of some of the complications that occur when trying to move from a "grey-box" purchase to a true public works project and how that could derail any negotiations. When the redevelopment of the current site was removed from the negotiations, it really did make the financial environment change. Change so dramatically that it brought a very worked-over reuse of the current site financially similar.

I'm not defending the Mayor for "selling" the project too well... Those Andrew Statz numbers were pretty compelling. Is this 'bait-n-switch'? Maybe. But the numbers were all based upon a framework of a deal as opposed to an actual deal. Nothing was signed,

I have said to many of you that my preference was for the 'remodel' option:
• Floor size. Simply put it is more economically to staff a larger floor size on fewer floors than on multiple floors. Years of library data proves this. A three story library will be more economical over the long run than the seven story library. This is from our operating budget and will be a cost year after year.
• Reuse of a current structure. The current structure is strong. It is everything that's wrapped around it that has fallen into disrepair, abuse. Just like the reskinning of the Meriter Hospital on W Wash, the basics are good. We can create a beautiful building on our current site.
• Location. I'm not sure what draws people to West Washington Avenue, but I find the connection to the Overture Center and State Street (and still be as close to the state capitol) to be very compelling. Technically this building serves two purposes: a local library branch and an administrative hub. For a local library branch, this is as good of a location as I think you will find in downtown Madison.
• Control. Simply put the city has much more control over a project that is on our own site versus another site. We control the architects, project managers, construction process and everything else you normally see with other city projects. Buying the ‘grey box’ was easy and convenient but it was a leap of faith. That might have worked on a project like South Madison and Sequoia, but it was certainly more challenging on an iconic project like the central library.

As always, I’m looking to get a library project done. I’ve been through two other attempts over the past decade, and it would be a great disappointment not have a new central library. I ask you to not to get too wrapped up in “what went wrong” or searching for another site. While I certainly want the new central library to be a strong civic building, the real impact will always be what happens on the inside. Any project that we do will create a 21st century library: where books, materials, information, technology and people co-mingle and create knowledge.
Sure, there are still those that wonder if libraries will have a place in the next 50 years, but to me it is clear that it will. We need flexible spaces that can support unimaginable offerings to us today. Our current building can not do that.

I encourage you to actively participate in whatever conversation we have. I appreciate the disagreements and discussions I’ve had with many of you over the years about the library, it’s position in the city and what the council should do to support the system.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns about what I’ve proposed. I know that there is an actual resolution that is going around pushing forward with a substantial remodel of the current structure. Give what I know; I believe that is the only way to go at this point in time. I hope I can count on your support.

Larry

Some other notes:
1. Current library: how did it get so bad?
a. When I started on the library board in 1996, the building was old then. There were some improvements made (technology, paint and carpeting) but we knew that until the basic mechanical systems were either replaced or upgraded none of those little things would make much of a difference.
b. During the days before our current director (who also started in about 1996) the library had not opened, remodeled or invested in a facility in some time. This was politics and the engagement of the prior director. I would defer to other Alders and citizens for the specifics but suffice it to say the library was not in a position to support the changes to our physical facilities. As demonstrated since 1996 we have:
i. Opened Alicia Ashman branch
ii. Moved and re-opened Hawthorne, Sequoia and soon South Madison.
iii. Remodeled Pinney (actually twice), Monroe
iv. Envisioned a new far-east side library at Grand View Commons.
c. The library board continues to support the development of the library branches. We are actively looking at where a far north/eastside library would be best placed and continue to work on options for the far southwest side.
d. After years of neglect the only solution is a total overhaul/replacement. In the future I would hope the Common Council and Mayor would support gradual improvements, much like our expected improvements to Ashman in the coming years. At about a decade old, Ashman is showing its age and continue re-investment will help keep it strong. This reinvestment must be part of the package for any central library so that this investment is preserved for years to come.
2. Library structure: centralized or not?
a. Our library is based upon a centralized support function. All support function – administration, book processing, print shop, support, etc. – are based at the Central Library. Sure we could de-centralize it placing some of these functions at each branch or creating additional administrative buildings. Over the years the library board has looked at these various functions and has continued to support the dynamic synergy that comes from support staff that is together and embedded in a library facility.
b. I believe we save money in our operating budget based upon these support staff members working together in tandem.
c. The Madison Public Library is well regarded and rates consistently high against our peers, even as other cities of our size spend considerably more in library funding. Ann Arbor – a university community about half our population spends nearly twice as much on their library facilities. Yet, we continue to rank high on library indexes. Our system must be working – over the years I have seen the incredible creativity, knowledge, support and connections our staff have to each other, the system and the residents of Madison.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
According to Clear:

Ald. Palm and I have drafted the attached resolution, with assistance from Library Board chair Tripp Widder. Our intention is to introduce it at the April 13 council meeting with referral to BOE. The library board will consider this resolution informally at their April 5 meeting (since it will not have been introduced yet), along with a resolution to "un-surplus" the existing building.

LABOR SUPPORTS
Sigh, should I ask how many jobs?

I am writing this letter on behalf of the 4000 member families of the Building and Construction Trades Council Of South Central Wisconsin to express, in the strongest possible manner, our support for the Downtown Library project.

As you may know, every craft in our council is experiencing at least 20% unemployment at this time; many have a much higher rate. Some are experiencing rates over 50%.

It is our firm belief that you cannot have a great downtown without a great library. In addition to this, we need the jobs now, not years from now.

I cannot overstate our case. A project like this will literally keep some of our member families in their homes and out of bankruptcy. We need your support for the project now not years from now.

Although some pundits say the recession is over, I can state unequivocally that the construction industry has not been affected yet. In addition to this there are few other project on the horizon for this season, which will be the worst in decades.

Please join with us and support the library project today.

Sincerely,
Scott Vaughn
Executive Director
Building and Construction Trades Council

Hmmm, are temporary jobs a reason to make a commitment for the next 50 years?

FINALLY
Overall, I don't mind a rehab, in fact I think I prefer it, but there's a ton of issues to be resolved. I hope the council doesn't let this discussion fatigue them like the Edgewater and they just go along to get along. I hope they sink their teeth into this and the many un-discussed issues with the Edgewater and take some leadership over the future of these two projects, but do that with an attitude to not just "get it done" but to "get it done right." Our community deserves that.
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