Sep 7, Minutes Rhynes Speaks only Not on Agenda

MINUTES

REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL

5:30 P.M., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2006

COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL

Excerpts from meeting on Barber Park:

CTIZENS TO BE HEARD

George Boston Rhynes, xxxxxxx, stated that he is the President of the local branch of the NAACP and read in the Valdosta Daily Times on August 23, 2006 that Council would take action on Barber Park at this Council meeting. Mr. Rhynes stated that he did not see the item on the agenda or hear anything about the status of it. Mr. Rhynes stated that he sent Council an E-mail regarding the local NAACP’s decision on renaming Barber Park. Larry Hanson, City Manager, stated that the Barber Park issue was moved to the September 21, 2006 Council meeting. Mr. Rhynes stated that if the dates were changed then it should have been published in the newspaper.

Larry Hanson stated that at the final Barber Park Committee meeting, the Committee recommended that this be placed on the September 7, 2006 Council meeting agenda. Mr. Rhynes stated that he was concerned because the people were under the impression that this would be on the September 7 Council meeting agenda. Larry Hanson stated that the agenda is posted at City Hall as soon as it is created and it is also posted on the City’s web site. The agenda has been on the web site since last Friday if anyone wanted to check to see what was on the agenda for this meeting. It was never placed on the agenda and it would be difficult to find a way to notify everyone who had an interest in it. Mayor Fretti inquired as to whether Mr. Rhynes had discussed this with any individual Councilman and whether he contacted the City Manager about this. Mr. Rhynes stated that he had discussed this with a Council member and if it had been placed in the newspaper then the City could go back and let the voting public know that the date was changed. Larry Hanson stated that at the end of the last Mayor/Council meeting, it was discussed under City Manager’s Comments and asked that it be placed on the agenda for the September 21, 2006 meeting because Councilman Vickers was going to be out of town on September 7, 2006. Council then authorized to move the item to the September 21 meeting. Larry Hanson stated that we would look at more ways to inform citizens.