11-09-2005 - Special
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CITY COUNCIL OF EDGEWATER
SPECIAL MEETING
NOVEMBER 9, 2005
6:00 P.M.
COMMUNITY CENTER
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Schmidt called the Regular Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in
the Community Center.
ROLL CALL
Mayor Donald Schmidt
Councilman James Brown
Councilman Dennis Vincenzi
Councilwoman Harriet Rhodes
Councilwoman Judith Lichter
City Manager Kenneth Hooper
Assistant City Manager Liz McBride
City Clerk Susan Wadsworth
Paralegal Robin Matusick
INVOCATION, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Excused
Present
Present
Present
There was a silent invocation and pledge of allegiance to the
Flag.
MEETING PURPOSE
The purpose of the meeting was to certify the results of the
General Election held November 8, 2005.
Paralegal Matusick read Res. 2005-R-16 into the record.
CounciLwoman Lichter moved to approve Res. 2005-R-16, second bv
CounciLman Vincenzi.
The MOTION CARRIED 5-0.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Councilwoman Lichter stated she has enjoyed the service with all
of them for the last four years and she will help in any manner
that is appropriate and legal with the new Councilpeople that
have come on board.
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Mayor Schmidt congratulated Councilwoman Rhodes.
Councilwoman Rhodes stated she appreciated the support that she
got from the public as well as staff who are always so helpful
all the time anyway. The party is over. It's time to go to
work.
Councilman Vincenzi stated usually you say you have enjoyed
working with everybody. He can't say he has enjoyed working with
everyone all the time but most of the time it has been enjoyable.
He informed Mayor Schmidt and Councilman Brown they shouldn't
feel bad about having to step down. He thinks if they have been
up there and voted as you felt was right that is the most anyone
can ask of you. He wished them good luck in the future.
Councilman Brown thanked Edgewater for six great years. He has
enjoyed it and met a lot of extremely wonderful people, well
educated most of the time. There are some special people he
wants to thank that have made it worth the six years, City Clerk
Wadsworth, Councilwoman Lichter, Councilwoman Rhodes, Mayor
Schmidt, Councilman Vincenzi, Assistant City Manager McBride,
Paralegal Matusick, Environmental Services Director Terry
Wadsworth, Finance Director Jon Williams, Development Services
Director Darren Lear, Fire Chief Tracey Barlow, Police Chief Mike
Ignasiak. He feels they have all done their jobs far beyond
anybody's expectation. City Manager Hooper isn't here tonight.
He is the smart one and went fishing. He wished he was there
with him. He again thanked everyone. He is a little bit sad
that only 17% of the citizens came out to vote. That meant that
83% of the citizens gave up their right to speak in government.
That is so sad. He is devastated by the low turnout.
Mayor Schmidt stated he wasn't going to come tonight. He is
hoping he gets through this the way he wants to get through it.
We lost, that's okay. We had six wonderful years. We leave the
City in the best position it has ever been contrary to some
people's thoughts. This City has never been so united. This
City has never been in such a good position within the State,
within the community, within the County. We have had our ups and
downs. That's okay. Everybody does. We became a family and for
that he thanked everyone up there. Last night, speaking of
families, there was an episode that he wasn't necessarily proud
of but it happened. He talked to his opponent about it because
it had to do with one of his workers. No names are necessary, no
recount of what happened but when somebody attacks someone's
family, they really need to sit back and think of themselves and
think of what is going through their head and going through their
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Council Special Meeting
November 9, 2005
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Mayor Schmidt further stated when they agreed to do this job,
family was not part of it. A gentleman in the early years tried
to attack his family and it didn't work. A lady last night tried
to attack his family and made his daughter cry. That opened the
doors folks. You don't do that. We served six good years and
family had nothing to do with it. We had a lady call the City
Hall this morning and make a comment that said she didn't think
he was professional last night. He will make a bet right now he
is the most professional person in this room right now because he
didn't haul off and hit somebody last night when they made his
daughter cry. It's not the same person that called. It truly
amazed him the will power he had last night when he tried to just
make a comment, this other woman stood up to him and told him he
didn't need to say anything to her. Again, he sucked it in and
walked out and talk to Mike. Mike knows where I stand on it and
he knows who it is. He was going through some stuff today and he
came across a neat book. Standing for something, ten neglected
virtues that will heal our hearts and homes. He circled four, he
is going to say one. Gratitude a sign of maturity. That is the
only reason he is here. He is thankful to everyone in the room
that voted and gave them the support. Edgewater is in the best
position it has ever been in. Hopefully it stays that way. In
the beginning when they took over six years ago, they had an
identity issue. People didn't really like to come to Edgewater.
Out of his own pocket they did a little campaign, Welcome to
Edgewater. One of these buttons still sits on his dashboard and
it will continue to sit on his dashboard. The other one,
everybody on every side of the street hated each other.
Edgewater United as One. People remember these buttons, they
were allover town. We had issues, we got through them. We had
a great six years and he wants to see it continue. He wants to
see Edgewater keep prospering and keep growing the way it is.
That is a challenge from him to Mike Thomas. He encouraged him
to keep the good work going.
Mayor Schmidt asked Mike Thomas and Debra Rogers to come forward
to be sworn in as well as Councilwoman Rhodes.
City Clerk Wadsworth presented the oath to the newly elected
Mayor and Councilmembers.
Mayor Schmidt congratulated the new Mayor and Councilmembers and
called a recess.
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November 9, 2005
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Mayor Thomas called the recessed meeting back to order.
ROLL CALL
Mayor Michael Thomas
Councilwoman Debra Rogers
Councilman Dennis Vincenzi
Councilwoman Harriet Rhodes
Councilwoman Judith Lichter
Assistant City Manager Liz McBride
City Clerk Susan Wadsworth
Paralegal Robin Matusick
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Councilwoman Lichter welcomed the new members to the podium. She
has great faith they can continue in an orderly manner with the
transition. She will be most helpful to the new Mayor. They are
starting by going to the Veterans service together on Friday.
Where generally the Mayor makes a welcoming comment and she being
the senior member that lived through most of the wars, will give
a speech and she will go over that with Mayor Thomas. Sunday she
will be taking his place, because she is still Vice Chair, at the
church in the center of town where there will be a dedication of
a stained glass window and these things they can talk about
without breaking Sunshine. She welcomed them all. As long as it
doesn't involve a vote, they do not break Sunshine if they
communicate. She welcomed Councilwoman Rogers and was glad
Councilwoman Rhodes was re-elected. She will do her best to help
in any manner she can.
Councilwoman Rhodes stated girl power. She congratulated Mayor
Thomas and Councilwoman Rogers and welcomed them to the Council.
She offered her help if they need it. She looks forward to
working with them.
Councilman Vincenzi congratulated Mayor Thomas and Councilwoman
Rogers. He offered a word of caution to the new people. It is
really easy to get involved in the wrong things. He cautioned
them to make their own decisions and listen to what people have
to say. He also told them not to be overly influenced by anyone.
He told them to listen to people, listen to the facts and to make
their own decisions and he will be happy with that.
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Councilwoman Rogers stated thank you very much for giving me this
opportunity. She is going to do her very best to serve the City.
She thanked Mr. Brown for being kind and polite to her. She
hopes to talk to him more in the future. He has been a pleasure
to deal with and she only wishes they were up there together.
Mayor Thomas thanked his campaign staff. Without them, he
doesn't know where he would be. Foremost, the public who elected
him to office, he would like to really thank them. He can't
believe the turnout we had. It was really great. He pledged to
the public that he will do his best to fulfill his campaign
pledges to protect, preserve and serve. He is looking forward to
working with all of the staff, who have been so helpful to him so
far. He briefly commented on the emotions he is dealing with.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to discuss, Councilwoman Lichter
moved to adjourn.
The meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
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November 9, 2005