Commissioner Katrina Kochin was the only no vote on the $730,200 state grant for 2.15 acres next to Hartshorn Park. She asked the manager to elaborate on the property. Manager Seyferth and Mayor Johnson took turns describing the parcel: the grassy area east of Fricano's, the driveway from Western Avenue to Hartshorn, a portion of the adjoining parking lot, and a stretch of bike path the city sold nearly a decade ago as part of Hartshorn Village. This deal would bring that stretch back into public hands.
Kochin said that was why she brought it up. She wanted the bike path back, and she thanked them for clarifying the space for people watching at home.
That land description was not in the packet. There is no site map, no street address, and no legal description of the 2.15 acres. The agreement says that data exists in the state’s grant system, and that system is not public. Because this data was not included in the agenda packet, Kochin had to ask at the meeting for the basic facts a commissioner needs to understand what they are voting on.
Kochin asked a number of follow-up questions: whether the land donation from the owner was in writing. Seyferth said the owner emailed and said he was comfortable moving forward with the process. She asked whether the grant money could be spent on anything else. Staff said no. The money is only for buying this land. If the city turns it down, the dollars go back to the state.
Kochin voted no. She did not explain why.
The larger question is why the packet left important facts out, and why city commissioners continue to allow agenda items that leave a commissioner and a resident guessing about the details until someone at the meeting asks out loud.
Poorly prepared agenda packets cost time. Questions that could have been answered by a map, an address, or a legal description in the materials were asked and answered out loud. Commissioners who wanted to prepare could not. Residents interested in commenting on this item had incomplete data to formulate opinions. A commission that keeps accepting items without the basic facts is choosing to spend meeting time on questions the documents should have already answered.
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