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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes July 11, 2017 Page 7 1 Mayor Faust stated he can’t commit to $450 per month. 2 3 Mr. Tapia asked if Council will meet with the residents. Mayor Faust stated everything will be out in the 4 open. Mr. Tapia stated they will not go away. 5 6 Mayor Faust commented on the importance of the negotiation between the Council and Continental, 7 noting the City has the ability to issue the permits and holds the final card in the negotiation. Mayor 8 Faust stated his belief that during negotiations, the first party that names a price loses. 9 10 Mr. Tapia stated his opinion that the community does not trust the Mayor and Council and the Police 11 Department needs to be reformed. Mr. Tapia stated there needs to be a committee to work on reforms 12 but with the new leadership in Washington, DC, he does not trust the DOJ. Mr. Tapia asked for the 13 Council’s commitment that the Police Chief will meet with the committee regarding reform. 14 15 Mayor Faust stated the DOJ is currently doing an analysis of the Police Department and will give 16 recommendations that will be followed. He explained this will most likely occur in the Fall, noting there 17 have been three listening sessions and comments can be sent to the email address available. Mayor Faust 18 stated he would not be willing to meet until after the analysis is completed. 19 20 Mr. Bill Wolnow, 3501 Coolidge, stated he has lived there 46 years. He read a draft he prepared for a 21 Letter to the Editor regarding the Lowry Grove closure. Mr. Wolnow questioned why the City did not 22 make Lowry Grove keep up the property, where the inspectors were, and about the storm shelter. He 23 stated he believes Continental paid too much when they purchased the property and he is bothered about 24 profit centers in St. Anthony. Mr. Wolnow stated his belief that the contractors will not lose any money 25 on the deal and the infrastructure is sufficient for the two miles of St. Anthony. He quoted details from 26 the contractors, which he believed were erroneous. Mr. Wolnow discussed the St. Anthony water supply 27 and provided three constraints that he hopes the contractor will follow. 28 29 Ms. Antonia Alvarez appeared again before the Council and stated she has worked on organizing the 30 community for 16 years and is frustrated that the Mayor will not accept a meeting with the Lowry Grove 31 residents. 32 33 Ms. Karin Wyberg stated she is part of the silent majority. She is a long-term resident of St. Anthony 34 and knew Frank from Lowry Grove. She stated her belief that the Lowry Grove residents have sacrificed 35 much. She stated she has never felt threatened in St. Anthony and there are other communities that she 36 has had no interaction with, such as Diamond Eight Terrace Apartments and Lowry Grove. She stated 37 she has reached out, became involved, and organized the conversation at Nativity when the Islamic 38 Center was denied. Ms. Wyberg stated it hurts her to be part of a community where people have become 39 homeless and the City let it happen. She congratulated the Council on their concern for water but noted 40 they do not have concern for the neighbors in Lowry Grove. 41 42 Mr. Brian Buck stated they have been residents for 11 years. He communicated his support for real 43 affordable housing and the petition that was submitted. Mr. Buck stated he appreciates the fact that this 44 dialog is happening this evening and encouraged everyone to be proactive rather than reactive. He stated 45 he has been struck by the economic disparity with the Lowry Grove residents, noting his children have 46 11