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<br />and use it for a bike trail versus fix potholes; then he made a policy decision. He <br />stated that it was simple; he was going to approve this or not approve this. The <br />plan came forward and did not go anywhere and was sent back. He said the <br />bottom line is it will either get four votes or three; if it does not get four yeas, it <br />does not move forward. He noted that it did not get four yeas, was sent back and <br />is no longer an issue. <br /> <br />Mr. Kraft stated he had done a linguistic review of the word “policy” and said the <br />word policy is not a tightly defined concept; but a highly flexible one used in <br />different ways on different occasions. He said the word “Policy” is a dangerous <br />word because if you decided that City Council has control over all policies, then <br />City Council has unlimited authority. Mr. Kraft said that the people, who wrote the <br />Charter, wisely did not use the word policy but rather used specific terms as <br />budget authority, weights and measures and zoning authority. He said since the <br />word policy is so broad, Council should look at what they have power over, rather <br />than asserting publically that the bike/walk commission was a violation of policy <br />because Council did not come up with it. He said any suggestion that the <br />Bike/Walk Task Force violated the City Charter was just wrong. He noted he was <br />not discussing the merits of the plan itself. Mr. Kraft stated the bike walk plan <br />was put together in accordance with the City Charter and it is not Council’s <br />responsibility to not just send it back without voting on it; it is Council’s <br />responsibility to vote on it. <br /> <br />Mr. Price stated that Mayor Welsch made a policy decision on who gets to talk <br />the longest. He asked if he could get as much time as Mr. Kraft when he wants <br />to talk for fifteen minutes. <br /> <br />Mayor Welsch stated that she had given Mr. Price much time in the past and <br />reassured him that she would give it to him again. <br /> <br />Mr. Price stated that he always gets called out of order so he wanted to be clear <br />on the policy. <br /> <br />Mayor Welsch asked if Mr. Price was asking her a question. <br /> <br />Mr. Price said he was asking a policy question. <br /> <br />Mayor Welsch stated again to Mr. Price that she has given him very lengthy times <br />to speak at other meetings and was sure that she would give him that time in the <br />future. She said she does not try to limit any member of Council when they were <br />speaking in this kind of discussion. <br /> <br />Mr. Price said his questions was would he get as much time as Mr. Kraft. <br /> <br />Mayor Welsch stated again that if he needed as much time as Mr. Kraft and has <br />something to say; then go for it. .She noted that Mr. Kraft spoke less than ten <br />minutes. <br /> <br />Mr. Price said he would listen to the audio. <br />8 <br /> <br /> <br />