Let my parkland go…?

District-2 Councilman Forrest Williams voted in June to place on the upcoming ballot a measure allowing the use of District-6 parkland for the new Fire Station #37.  At the August City Council meeting a motion was made to repeal the measure because the future Fire Station #37 is somehow connected to the closing of the current Fire Station #6.  Here he is defending his stance not to repeal the ballot measure:

04.20.46 – start excerpt from City Council Meeting – 8/5/2008

>> Councilmember Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m going to try one more time.

It doesn’t matter, there are no absolutes. They’re totally separate.

And the way to get the council bound is to have the matter come before the council, regarding 6. If one were to have reconsideration, bring it forth for reconsideration, but don’t hold up.

We need the work that’s been done by the fire department in terms of locating the fire station, its serviceability, the range and all of those things. I mean, they’re telling us their idea. I’m not a professional fire person so I rely on their expertise to say, we’re – and especially for councilman Chirco. Let’s do that and then let’s talk about 6.

So, can you consider it in your heart and ask – discuss this to say let’s do 37 and let’s come back, let’s have staff come back to us in regards to 6? And I think we can achieve what we want to achieve, but we can move forward, as well. Because it takes a couple of years, and a couple of years and cost and all these things come up, and then we’re struggling. Right now we’re struggling for dollars. And if we postpone it a couple of years then that’s going to compound the matter. So I believe that we can get to where you want to go. But just let 37 go.

04.22.28 – end of excerpt