Both Craig Lutz, now a county commissioner, and Amanda Swafford, said without recording the work session citizens don't have the background that leads up to the votes.
"Your voting minutes, particularly when Council votes unanimously, provide absolutely no details as to what a particular vote is supposed to accomplish," Swafford said. "You're not capturing public comments, you're not capturing background and your not keeping a record on who presents to the Council."
According to City Manager Bill Andrew by law the City Clerk must record action, or voting minutes; work session minutes were recorded, amounting to 14 pages, council felt that was too much detail and the voting stood for itself.
"You're not required to have any minutes at all for a work session because there's no action taking place," Andrew added. "Public comments are meant to be comments to the Council to influence or inform their decision for the vote, but aren't necessarily meant to be part of any record."
FINAL VOTE
City Council cast its final unanimous vote to approve Newland Homes' rezoning request that allows that developer to build smaller, more marketable homes in Sterling on the Lake Subdivision.
Councilman Joe Anglin made the motion for first reading approval last week and voted again for the rezoning.
"I just see this as a minor alteration of a plan that is already in place," Anglin said. "It's for a business that has been forth a tremendous amount of money into the community."
Subdivision homeowners with larger, more expensive houses built before the Recession argued the smaller homes would lower real estate values; They claimed Council's 3-0 yes vote did not represent them.
PRO BUSINESS
Councilman Damon Gibbs said he wanted the city to be more pro-business and
wanted to know if a developer could do business cheaper in Flowery Branch.
" I want to know if a developer brings a set of plans for a 15,000 square foot commercial building they can't go to the City of Oakwood and get a permit cheaper than they can in the City of Flowery Branch
Gibbs learned from City Planner James Riker that Oakwood, unlike Flowery Branch, does not collect impact fees for the county and building permits are cheaper there.
He asked city staff to look into getting out of its agreement to collect impact fees and bring down the cost of building permits. Flowery Branch is in the 7th year of the 50-year county agreement.
Amanda Swafford said without recording the work session citizens don
Hall Commissioner and former Councilman Craig Lutz
According to City Manager Bill Andrew by law the City Clerk must record action, or voting minutes
Councilman Joe Anglin made the motion for first reading approval last week and voted again for the rezoning
Councilman Damon Gibbs said he wanted the city to be more pro-business and wanted to know if a developer could do business cheaper in Flowery Branch
http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/3/246562