"Live" council meeting updates....meeting in progress

Go to the Spec's Emma Reilly's "live" blog to follow the progress today (Wednesday)...

Here's her report so far:

[b]Game on
Ok folks - the meeting to discuss Fenn's report is about to start. I'll be updating as often as possible, so check in throughout the morning to see how things play out.

10:44 - Everyone is starting to assemble. Cats president Scott Mitchell just walked in, as did facilitator Michael Fenn. John Dolbec and Richard Koroscil from the Chamber of Commerce are also here[/b]

Here's her link:

http://ideas.typepad.com/hall_marks_emma_reilly/

Note To Mods:

Hope you can bend the thread rules and let this one stand alone during this meeting of Council so it doesn't get buried

Thanks

HOSTCO now changes deadliine" yet again............

August 12

Good grief.........does anyone know how to tell the truth when setting dates?

Another month of opportunities to screw the Tiger-Cats coming up :roll:

(yes, I sound cynical but unless Council gines the thumbs-up to the ORC site today, and ratified tomorrow, I don't trust anything that comes out of HOSTCO or city hall)

I love August 12 :slight_smile: Not too much time to play with Katz and his merchants of dreams…

They do need to give some time to talk with Katz more out of due diligence I think or else it really won't look good and isn't this what Fenn asked for anyways?

From all the news reports I saw this morning, Council and the Mayor were conceding to the ORC site and were probably going to vote on it today and ratify it tomorrow just under the deadline that Ian Troop said was a drop-dead date (now proven to be a lie)…

There was no need for an extension of another month, unless Troop and Hostco made a deal with York or U of T already and doesn’t quite know how to get out of it…anything is possible given the epic lying and back-stabbing we’ve all seen so far…

…again, forgive my cynical outlook right now

IMO the downtown/west harbour area has just been saved. This is great news for that area.

AKT, you mean saved by not plopping a stadium and ashpalt parking lot on land that should be looked at for more useful purposes and land that is scarce in a confined area? Correct?

10:44 - Everyone is starting to assemble. Cats president Scott Mitchell just walked in, as did facilitator Michael Fenn. John Dolbec and Richard Koroscil from the Chamber of Commerce are also here.

10:51 - City Manager Chris Murray kicked things off with a brief introduction about today's meeting. "The reason why we're here is to hear from Michael, his summation of the process, and where we are going forward," he said.

10:52 - Michael Fenn is starting to discuss his report. He's congratulating all sides for their cooperation, with special shoutouts going to Chris Murray, the city's Pan Am head honcho David Adames, the mayor, and even the media for respecting the process.

11:02 - Fenn has finished up what was a very brief presentation. Sam Merulla is asking Fenn about some of the financial commitments made by the TiCats yesterday - but he was just shut down by the mayor. Eisenberger says he wants to keep council focused on Fenn's report for the time being.
11:08 - Lloyd Ferguson says he's relieved about the TiCats money. "I felt a huge sign of relief coming out of the city this morning. We made a quantum step."

11:10 - Chris Murray says the Pan Am HostCo has okayed going forward with two sites today and choosing one by August 12. HostCo originally set a deadline of July 9.

11:15 - Bernie Morelli also seems to be drifting from west harbour. "From my perspective, we're moving in the right direction," he said of Fenn's report.

11:19 - My colleague John Kernaghan was just emailed a statement from Ian Troop, the CEO of the Pan Am Games: “We’re encouraged. We know that Mr. Fenn, the City and the Ticats have come a long way in reaching common ground. The essential next step in the process is Hamilton council’s review. Once the City has this and can come to us with specific direction, we’ll be able to offer our perspective. Until then, I will not speculate or pre-suppose what the City will come to us with.?

11:27 - Fenn says he's already talked to executives from the ORC (the province's real estate agency that owns the east mountain land) about the potential stadium site.

11:41 - Councillors are still asking questions about Fenn's report. No real fireworks yet.

11:49 - According to Chris Murray, Scott Mitchell said he wants to sit down with city staff and go over the offers in Bob Young's letter as soon as possible.

yes

Brad Clark wants an on/off ramp leading from the east mountain stadium to the Red Hill expressway. He says he's had calls from residents are concerned about traffic in the area, and this would be a good way to mitigate it. He's asking for an amendment to ask the province to help pay for these ramps.

This seems reasonable for sure.

11:55 - Sam Merulla likes east mountain. "We have an opportunity here that is going to mitigate the financial impact," he said. "I just wish that we would have done this a year and a half ago – but better late than never."

Wow ! now there's a miracle !.......Merulla? :rockin:

Councillor McCarthy hates the Bob Young plan and calls it a shame..............and she won't support it.... ???

I agree…and I’m sure that will be in the design anyhow

She doesn't like the $60 mill being used for a stadium that in her perspective, doesn't add to the city revitalization. Fair enough but it's also fair enough to say she may not be looking at the whole picture though of what city revitilzation means in it's entirety. That being said, there may be some negotiating with this aspect I'm sure.

She is a councilor that was elected in Flamborough on the basis of de-amalgamation. We really don't need to listen to someone who hates Hamilton do we?

If she even knew how to read, she would know it is 45 million dollars not 60 and that 45 million will pay itself back to the city on maintenance costs alone in 15 years. When you factor the games, the Grey Cups and the other stuff, the payback is more like 5 to 7 years.

Basically for 45 million dollars the city ends up with 120 million dollars in sports facilities, 200 million in economic activity that’s not counting the 120 million in construction and it frees up 3 million dollars of maintenance they no longer have to bother with.

12:16 - Margaret McCarthy has walked out of the meeting.

12:21 - Scott Mitchell just walked out - just as the mayor was starting to speak.

12:24 - Mitchell just stepped back in for a moment as the mayor was speaking - but he's left the room again.

:?

(Has HOSTCO just screwed this up royally by extending the deadline till Aug. 12 ? )

No, council can only provisionally approve either site as the studies needed to make an informed decision have not been done

McCarthy votes against EVERYTHING that benefits the City proper.

Back to square one again........ :roll: :roll:

(This time it's on HOSTCO for allowing for another month of this crap)

12:27 - Okay. They mayor's finished speaking, Mitchell's back in the room. Eisenberger said he doesn't want to abandon the idea of west harbour, but he's willing to move forward with the consideration of the two sites. "I am not prepared to throw (west harbour) over the side of the boat," Eisenberger said.

Un-freaking believable ! :roll: :roll:

Check your “regs”…yes they can and often do