Council Chronicles: Cottonwoods, cage matches, and a new four-letter word

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

By Grace Hammond

Seventeen go in, thirteen come out
Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Old friends and familiar enemies gathered for the town council meeting Monday night. At the start, there were 17 bright-eyed, agenda-clutching attendees, sitting behind me and preparing to participate in the political process with commentary like “I can’t believe they’d put something like that in Jackson. It’s totally retarded.” By the end of the meeting, though, two lonely reporters comprised 50 percent of the audience. Why, you ask? Probably because the meeting was a bait-and-switch!

There was no discussion of the Ultimate Cage Match Fighting Championship, which was on the agenda under “special event ratification.” No debate! Nothing! No teary-eyed mothers, no juiced-up participants speaking haltingly from index cards about how cage-fighting is a sport, just like golf or badminton. I’m used to city council meetings in Sturgis, S.D., where fat, juicy agenda teasers like “cage match event ratification” really fill up seats. They should have created more of a fuss! Not every agenda has such a plum opportunity to facilitate the boisterous, colorful democratic process the American people know and love.

“Landscape” is a four-letter word
Parks and Recreation Director Steve Foster took the podium for a review of the Town Square Renovation Work Plan. He said that there are three main components to the renovation: “landscaping and forestry, electrical and boardwalk.”  Grumbling began with the word “landscape.” Foster explained that the plan calls for removal of “some Willow and Crabapple trees,” then later added the word “Cottonwood” to the mix. The idea, he said, is to “open the sightline from Cache into the Square” by pulling damaged or unhealthy trees and replacing them with “good-sized Cottonwoods.”

One of the trees slated for removal is an “eight-to-ten caliber Cottonwood” currently in the middle of a group of three trees. In the plan, only one tree would be relocated, and not the big Cottonwood. The mayor “challenged” Foster to “rethink” not reusing all the trees elsewhere. “I don’t want no surprises with this one,” said Councilor Abe Tabatabai, “let’s be as open as we can. It’s a sensitive issue.” Councilor Mark Obringer moved to approve and Tabatabai threw down seconds – all voted in favor.

It’s the buses, stupid
Councilor Bob Lenz suggested extending a no-parking Red Zone on East Gill because “it’s a life-safety issue.” Visibility is a problem, he said, and the council agreed. Members differed, however, on whether the issue at hand is really the curb or if it’s where buses should park - the four Louis & Clark and Dave Hansen vehicles, specifically.

“If the buses are the problem, let’s deal with the buses,” said Mayor Barron, who was hesitant to start extending red curb zones when the council had “taken two years to bring them back down” from previously overzealous, parking-space-devouring lengths.

The bus drivers, for their part, might be parking on E. Gill so they don’t have to eat up space on busy Cache. What to do? The Council decided to return to the issue when they had more information. Town Administrator Bob McLaurin will discuss the issue, and the spectrum of possible resolutions, with the chief of police.

In other news
There will be a Special Joint Information Meeting to discuss the Comp Plan from 3-5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8th in the County Commissioner’s Chambers. A plan to move the START bus shelter at the hospital was on the agenda, but it was pulled at the last minute. McLaurin stated simply: “There’s some neighborhood issues going on,” to which the mayor remarked, “Maybe they can have a 6-pack and resolve it.”

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Council Chronicles: Cottonwoods, cage matches, and a new four-letter word | Planet JH News Article: Council Chronicles

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