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<br />Nova Felton, 8031 Noel Ct <br />Ms. Felton stated that she is looking forward to this new Council being honest, <br />transparent, being accountable, ethical, respectful and civil. She would like to Council to <br />report what the total cost of the State audit actually is. Ms. Felton also asked the have <br />the cost of the employees’ time should be factor in. She estimates the City to pay an <br />addition $20,000 in employees’ time. Ms. Felton also suggested each councilmember <br />have individual budgets and be charged for time they speak to department heads, they <br />be charged and billed for any overages they might incur. Mayor Welsch asked Ms. <br />Watson to track the cost involved in the state audit. <br /> <br />Paulette Carr, 7901 Gannon Ave. <br />Ms. Carr noted that she was the major petitioner requesting the state audit and felt she <br />had the responsibility and opportunity to look at a lot of programs to hand over to the <br />auditor. One of the programs she looked at was the Youth Employment Program (YEP). <br />She appraised the Council that twenty-two students were hired, the Human Resource <br />director only went to the U City high school, although this program is open to all students <br />between the ages of sixteen and nineteen who live in University City; not one posting <br />was made on the web site. One of the U City High students hired is not a resident of <br />University City but rather lives in St. John. Ms. Carr would like to see this program <br />succeed and operated in a proper manner as U City should be following fair hiring <br />practices. <br /> <br />Charlene Willis, 1570 Mendell <br />Ms. Willis asked to address an article she had read stating the Mayor had given a group <br />of Asian business men a tax abatement that are looking at redevelopment on Olive <br />Street Rd. She strongly objects to awarding tax abatement to any business or group of <br />business men. Ms. Willis said she is a senior citizen and no one gives her a tax break. <br />She noted that University City has a history of diversity and togetherness but this is not a <br />move that would bring togetherness in U City. <br /> <br />Acting Director of Community Development came forward and stated that one of the <br />incentives and tools the City has is tax abatement and is a reasonable request of any <br />business to ask for and granted only by Council approval. <br /> <br />Edward McCarthy, 7101 Princeton Ave <br />Mr. McCarthy noted that on Council’s approval of trucks, Ms. Watson was not told which <br />one to purchase. Secondly he thought all the vendors bid on the price for two trucks so <br />if the price goes up $10,000 do you approve it. His next topic is on private subdivisions <br />but does not understand why they don’t get the same services everyone else gets. Mr. <br />McCarthy was asked by his subdivision to ask for three things: 1. Snow removal of <br />anything over two inches and they don’t have to be the first to get this snow removal. 2. <br />Pick up large branches at least come by every once in awhile to remove them and 3. <br />Sweep the streets just as the City does for the rest of the City. Mr. McCarthy said they <br />pay the same taxes and follow the same laws and wanted to know shy they don’t get the <br />same services. <br /> <br />Mayor Welsch asked Ms. Watson to let her know if the price of the one trash truck’s <br />purchase price changes significantly. <br /> <br />M. COUNCIL COMMENTS <br /> <br /> 13 <br /> <br />