Monkey on your back?

Literally a monkey on her back!

I have been waiting for a topic that would reflect this picture that I took on the city market during the Peach Festival. It is just too cute to let linger unseen any longer. The only analogy I can make is that we all in the Countryside community have a monkey on our back figuratively. Speaking of monkeys .... no, I won't go there.

Now that I have your attention with the cute picture here is a Sept. 4th response from Brian Townsend, Assistant City M_____, on the 4 points we talked about at our meeting Sept. 10th:

1. Ms. Garner, as we have told you repeatedly, the City cannot execute a management agreement with Meadowbrook until the City Council authorizes such. I anticipate that this item will be on the City Council agenda for their September 17th meeting.

2. As to the airport land swap, the city staff and airport commission staff continue to work on details of the process, and I don't have a specific time as to when the City Council would consider the land conveyance, but it would require a public hearing by the City Council before such conveyance could take place.

3. We continue to have discussions with Mr. Newbern and his tenant as to their interests in expansion. Once the City receives a specific proposal as to amount of land that Trane and Mr. Newbern consider necessary for their anticipated expansion, the City shall solely determine whether to consider further their request based upon a number of factors, the preeminent one being the affect on golf course play. Obviously, if any portion of the Golf Course is considered for disposition, that disposition would require a public hearing by the City Council.

A CLARIFICATION A FEW MINUTES LATER ON #3:

Ms. Garner, let me clarify that last point, while it would obviously be the City Council's decision on disposition on any of the golf course....the administration would review any proposal from Mr. Newbern and would also consult with Meadowbrook Golf and obtain their opinion as to the potential impact on play prior to making a report/recommendation to City Council as to the merits (or lack thereof) of disposing of any property in that context.

4. The City is not actively marketing the golf course property, as indicated by the Mayor's letter to the City Council, and has indicated pending one year renewal for golf course operation with the current operator, and further identified steps we would consider taking next year to seek out other potential operators of the course in additional future years.Ms. Garner, we receive unsolicited inquiries about a wide range of city-owned properties on an ongoing basis, in addition to the golf course,and in each case the administration responds to the context of the inquiry and the identified availability of the property. At this time, if we were to receive any informal inquiry about the golf course, we would respond to that inquiry with the content of the Mayor's letter to the City Council,which outlines our policy currently as it pertains to the future of the golf course. In all cases, the administration cannot consider disposition of publicly owned real estate without the City Council's initial concurrence, and ultimately, upon a public hearing and formal action of the Council.

Brian Townsend

Assistant City Manager for Community Development