Tuesday’s meeting of the Prescott City Council welcomed several members of the community who had comments to make. Mayor David Hovel brought the meeting to order and a full council was present. The first citizen comment involved a request for the council and committees involved with the planning underway for city development of purchased properties downtown to present a comprehensive plan of how those properties may be used. The citizen expressed his frustration and referenced that of others of a disconnect between a plan held by the city that is not generally known by the public.
Following the business portion of the meeting, several residents, again, approached the council with requests that ranged from asking for more transparency in the proposed plans for parking downtown to how long the city planned to honor the supposed purchase intention of the old Steamboat Inn Site. Comments were made about the negative impression that corner has to residents and to visitors alike.
Since this was time for comments and not for response from the council, those questions remained unanswered. Besides the four Prescott residents who spoke, Marie Magnan, a resident of Trimbelle Township, noted that her perception was that decisions are being made without enough input from residents. Alderperson Bailey Ruona also addressed Elise Block who is frustrated that little response flows back from the city even when letters or other communication is sent to council or committee members. Ruona addressed the disconnect of disseminating information online and City Administrator Brand suggested placing information in water bills, however, they are mailed quarterly.
Ruona invited conversation with the public to make suggestions on how best to connect with residents and encouraged them to attend public meetings on the subjects such as city planning, economic development and parks to make sure they are heard. Those meetings, it was noted are not televised in Prescott, and information can be conveyed by phone, email and snail mail to bring topics into the discussion.
Prescott Citizens Address Council
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