City Council meeting Monday, July 12 at 6:00 PM

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Subject: City Council meeting Monday, July 12 at 6:00 PM

PLEASE COME to find out how many people signed the petition and hear the latest discussion/decisions about the proposed Houston OHV Trail.

City Council Meeting

6:00 PM, Monday, July 12, 2021

Houston Community Room

111 W Cedar St

Pledge of Allegiance

Regular Meeting

Section 1. Business before the Council

A. Matt Mohs - presentation of raffle basket

Wapasha pay application #3

B. Kent Whitcomb - EV Charging Station

C. Chief Hurley - temporary staffing request

D. Waiver for LMC

E. Approve Application to Conduct Excluded Bingo by Cross of Christ as Hoedown activity

F. Ambulance update

G. Anna Benda - proposed donation of sound system

H. OHV - Steve Westby presentation of citizen petition to council

Citizen Advisory Committee

Sound Study

Archaeological Survey

Open house date

FAQ

Section 2. Action Items:

A. Minutes from June 14, 2021 Regular meeting

B. Bills

Section 3. Consent Agenda Items to Be Placed on File

A. Citizen complaints related to Westgate Drive property and also community room acoustics/sound

Section 4. Department Reports

Reminders: Sign letter of appreciation

Public Comment Period

Adjournment

SIGN THE PETITION

While we cannot have the Houston OHV Trail made into a ballot question for all citizens to vote on, we can still do a petition to request the City cancel the project to show just how many people oppose the project. We are conducting this petition as an in-person, hard-copy paper petition only (no digital signatures). In the interest of representing all who are directly impacted by this project, it can be signed by:

-People who live in the City of Houston

-People who own businesses in the City of Houston

-Non-residents who own property in the City of Houston

-People who own property immediately adjacent to the proposed project.

All signers must be 18 years of age or older.

Steve and Holly Westby are leading the charge knocking on doors to get signatures. Sarah Jilk-Thompson and Jeannie Tippery also have petition forms you can sign, or you can stop at the International Owl Center to sign. Please make sure you sign no later than Monday morning so we can get everything properly compiled for Monday night's council meeting.

There has been been an extremely strong response to the petition and forms are filling up quickly.

State-threatened plant found

While the DNR does not plan to survey the proposed site for rare and endangered species or do any formal environmental review of the site, we still can bring in non-agency experts to do surveys. Scott Leddy has an extensive background with prairie restoration, including plant and insect identification. Karla Bloem and Andie Harveaux from the International Owl Center joined Scott for an evening on the bluff and together identified a state-threatened plant species on or near the trail alignment. (We are not showing a photo or the name of the species to avoid having anyone try to remove the plant.) The find has been reported to the Natural Heritage Information System, which is a repository for locations of rare species that must be searched prior to construction of the proposed Houston OHV Trail.

While this find may not stop the trail, the DNR is required to address it to make sure the plants are avoided. We plan to continue to survey for additional rare plants and insects, and it is not unlikely that more will be discovered.

What? We can't hear you!

Because it is so difficult to hear what is being said during City Council meetings in the new Community Center, Anna Benda is proposing that the City Council get a microphone system so each council member and the public can all be heard. The Save Our Bluffs group is offering up to $500 toward a system since this is important to us.

Anna will be presenting this proposal at the July 12 City Council meeting.

Please forward this message to other interested individuals. Others can sign up to receive this e-newsletter on our website: www.SaveOurBluffs.com.

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Subject: City Council meeting Monday, July 12 at 6:00 PM