Ray Scarfo, Candidate for City Council, on the Dog Park.
It was a long City Council meeting Tuesday night, 3 hours spent on the doggie day care.
The presentation by the group applying for the special permit was outstanding; the facility that was presented was going to be state of the art.
As I sat there and listened to both sides and also listened to the remarks of the members of the city council I knew where the council vote was headed 5 minutes into the meeting. On the opposing side there was no room for compromise, in spite of the fact the applicant was willing to compromise.
It seemed to me that some members of this City Council had their minds made up before the meeting...that is why there are 8 new candidates running for city council. No matter what side you are on the city did nothing to help to try to bring this new business in to our city.
The office of community development should have reached out in January to this group to help to see if the site would not present a potential problem to the citizens of Linden and Locust Streets. So as one Council member stated " I did my due diligence on this matter"and cannot vote for this special permit because of the citizens it will effect.
Councilor Scarpelli should have taken it a step further by reaching out to the office of community development to work for both the citizens and a new business applicant.
The Administration should also have put forward the welcome hand by directing the Office of Community Development, but, as I walked through City Hall the other day I saw a sign Unavailable, "Gone Fishing" !!!
And that's why it's important to........
"Bring back common $ense"