Regular Council Meeting
July 18, 2006
Recorded by Carol Brzeczek

As always, the italicized portion of the minutes reflects our thoughts and explanations and not the words of any Council member. I may have the last names misspelled for two of the speakers from Southbridge – I apologize but I spelled them like I heard them.

Unscheduled Public Appearances

I spoke to the Council on what I perceive to be violations of the Open Meetings Law in the way they handle the executive sessions. Council asks speakers to identify themselves and to give their address. I do not give my address but let Council know that I live in the 4th district. Marty and I are both at the meeting and I am not eager to tell those in TV land where I live and that I am not home. This is only important because of what follows. When I asked the Mayor if I was going to get a response to my question I was ignored and when asked a second time I was ignored again. It was clear that he was not prepared to respond to what should have been a very simple question regarding the adherence to the Open Meetings Law, in my opinion.

Ray Koernig, former council member, addressed the Council saying that he was not ashamed of where he lived and therefore would give them his address unlike the speaker before him that lives two doors away from Rebecca Kast. He had been out of town for a few weeks and hoped that all the negativity would be gone by the time he returned. However, he had read the Littleton Independent and that other thing that calls itself a newspaper (Littleton Examiner) and he knows that it didn’t go away. He was proud of the Council and knew they had to hold their tongues but he didn’t have to.

Mike Doberson, from Southbridge, came to ask the Council to intervene in the contentious issue surrounding the clubhouse in their development. A swim and racket club was built for their community and it was turned over to the City for reasons unknown to him. There is some confusion about the governance. The current owner has teamed with a developer who plans on building 12 “empty nester” homes, which would deprive the community of an amenity. He was not sure what could be done but wanted the City’s help in righting a wrong.

Cindy Worgess, another Southbridge resident, told the Council that she understands that there will be a zoning application to convert the existing zoning to residential. She also thought there were two potential buyers that were willing to put the property back to its original use. Their neighborhood is changing – they are seeing more families with young children moving in and she remembers what a nice experience it was to gather at the pool with other families when her children were young. She doesn’t see a need for more residential and wants the Council’s help.

Jose Trujillo reported that a former “old-timer” from Littleton, Mrs. Hirsch, had passed away recently and left the cemetery $187.000.00! Jose said Mrs. Hirsch first met him in 1936 – she had a small store with the only scale in town. When the babies were born they were taken to her store to be weighed – that’s when she met Jose! The Cemetery Association has spent $15,000 to revamp the water pump. Rebecca Kast asked Jose if they have made plans to expand south of Ridge Road. Jose told her that they are working on it – they have 7 acres on the south side.

Jim Taylor, Mayor, who would not respond to my questions earlier now read from a note (not sure who wrote the note) saying that Mrs. Brzeczek would be getting a response.

Taylor told the Southbridge residents that the City does not enforce covenants. There has been no rezone application thus far. If the problems are with code enforcements, then the violations could be enforced. The City could recommend a mediator and the residents should contact the attorney’s office.

Pat Cronenberger said they had received emails and would like some information from the staff on the City’s role.

Kast said she had been involved with this for years – there is an extensive pa