While the mayor still got his budget, there was some shining moments last night during the budget hearing by the city’s legislative branch.
Councilor Erpenbach was able to restore $10,000 to clean the mosaic wall downtown. Money that ‘should’ have been in Central Services art cleaning budget. This just shows how petty the mayor is about his vengence towards certain people. They claim the wall will have to come down if that triangle piece of property is sold. Not true, as I understand it, it is a flood control wall mandated by the Feds.
Councilors voted down Van Eps Park improvements, $85,000 (a Staggers Amendment).
Councilors Erickson and Jamison voted down the City Administration Building (still stayed in budget). This albatross could have waited until we got the county on board.
Councilor Jamison and Anderson for having the idea to present Staggers amendments in leu of his illness.
And my biggest applause goes towards Councilor Erickson for being  the ONLY councilor to vote down the property tax increase.
I see Stu did a very long story about the budget hearing (like he knows anything about city government, once again putting down Staggers and applauding our dictator mayor).
Yes, it seems the council has started to refrain Huether. What surprised me is the respect for Staggers.
Most of the problem with the front section of the Mosaic is from when the City tore down the ramp. That wall moves quite a bit during a normal winter, but that became much worse with every blow of the wrecking ball.
We can’t do anything until next Spring, so hopefully it won’t get too much worse I between now and then.
Kudos to the Council for unanimously voting for what should’ve been in there all along.
Sy, long term wouldn’t it make more sense to move the mosaic wall and restore it along the downtown greenway – for example incorporate it into a retaining wall on the upcoming Phase 3 (whether that is along CNA north of 10th Street or along Kilian north of 6th Street?
This would give the public an opportunity to stop and enjoy the work as part of an extended Sculpture Walk loop through Downtown and the Greenway as well as preserve the wall properly without constant exposure to road chemicals.
Just a thought.
There’s really no moving it per se, it would be cheaper to order a new one an install it. We still have the original production drawings they used to water jet all the shapes and colors.
That original wall was a Fed project for flood control, so I don’t think it will ever go anywhere, whoever buys the triangle next to it will have to design around it.