The public addresses city city council

They came to speak for a greenway; others deplored the idea.  By 101.7/WGOG NEWS count, 12 people told Walhalla’s elected leaders they want the greenway and see it as a money-maker for business and a healthy recreation opportunity.  Eight people registered opposition comments, some of whom questioned the propriety of using water department money to pay the bill when the city can’t find adequate numbers of treatment plant operators.  Yet, there were calls for calm and for city government to better explain what’s at stake to enable all to evaluate the greenway proposition.  Still, there were loud voices during the meeting, including the evening’s final public speaker, Josh Thomas, who said Mayor Edwards and businessman John Powell are due an apology for unflattering remarks by greenway opponents.  And a pro-greenway council member chided a colleague opposed to the greenway for using the term “common man”.  Councilwoman Melendez asked, “What about a woman?”  Councilman Keehn had used common man to describe the impact that he believes greenway spending will have on low-income utility customers.  He suggested it should be a common man to originate a petition drive calling for a referendum.  Keehn was emphatic that the city can’t afford the greenway.  He said it gets downs to needs and wants, and he likened it to some wanting a Corvette, but who doesn’t need an expensive car.  Melendez, one of the four on council who voted to fund the greenway, said personally she’s poor and her financial records will attest that she has gone from “very poor” to just “poor.”