In Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, members of the Council asked for more transparent communication with citizens during Citizens' Open Forum.
During the Committee of the Whole, Ward 2 Council member Kelley Griswold suggested the Council address citizen’s comments during regular City Council meetings. During open forums, the Council typically thanks each citizen for sharing their concerns then continues to the next citizen.
“A constituent approached me and said that leaves the impression that we don’t really care about what the public has had to say to us during that period of time, or that we don’t want to provide them an answer,” Griswold said. “So, I think that we have a commitment to the public to alleviate that concern. I would like to propose that we add that to our agenda as a normal item of business.”
Adding a space between the Citizens' Open Forum and adjournment of the Council’s agenda would allow the Council to address the community’s questions. Mayor Ron Anders said that the Council should be wary of questions that the Council might not be equipped or able to answer. Griswold, Ward 3 Council member Beth Witten and Ward 1 Council member Connie Taylor were in support of more communication and empathized with the citizens.
“I have been on the other side of that podium there,” Griswold said. “At the end of the discussion, it was ‘okay, thank you’ and that was it and then we adjourned. So, I know how the citizens feel… I just really don’t see a downside to this for additional communication to the public.”
Anders and City Manager Megan Crouch clarified that there was space in the agenda for his comments and reminded the Council that they themselves have the freedom to ask questions or comment on citizens' remarks.
“I surely agree with [Griswold] that is our responsibility,” Anders said. “I would also say that this is much friendlier in-person than it is on Zoom, just to be quite honest.”
Ward 6 Council member Bob Parsons reminded the Council of a potential meeting with Victor Patel who owns multiple hotels in Auburn. Patel has requested a meeting with City representatives to give his input on the upcoming decision on short-term rentals. The Council is still deliberating on if this would be labelled an ‘open meeting’.
During the Council meeting, Anders announced that over 37,000 people have been vaccinated in the City.
Parsons recognized Auburn police officer Justin Sanders, who underwent surgery the same day as the Council meeting.
“I wanted to extend my thoughts and prayers, on behalf of the City, to Justin Sanders,” Parsons said. “He underwent surgery today. He’s an Auburn police officer. He continues to have surgeries for injuries he sustained in February 2019 on the job. I want to extend my best wishes to the family of Justin, Justin himself and to his APD family as well. We are thinking of you.”
Ward 8 Council member Tommy Dawson reminded the Council of the Beauregard community, as March 3 is the two-year anniversary of the tornado that tore through Auburn’s neighboring city.
“I’d like to say to our friends and neighbors out in Beauregard that we are thinking of them tonight, since tomorrow is the anniversary of the terrible tornado that struck out there and took the lives of 23 individuals,” Dawson said. “I could only imagine what those people continue to go through two years later.”
Dawson also remembered the 6th anniversary of the death of former Chief of Police Frank deGraffenried.
“He was absolutely one of the finest men to ever come through the City of Auburn,” Dawson said. “[He was] a great chief, but more importantly, [a] very fine man from whom I learned a great deal… And for Mrs. deGraffenried, we have not forgotten Chief. We never will forget him. This department will never forget him.”
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