COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, April 10, 2008 9:45 a.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN BILL GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREENLEE COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO BILLS 080098, 080099, 080100, 080101, 080102, 080226, 080227, 080228, 080229 and 080230 - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 2
Good morning, everyone. This is a public hearing of the Committee of the Whole regarding Resolution Nos. 080098, 080099, 080100, 080101, 080102. I would ask Mr. McPherson to please read the title of the resolutions. MR. McPHERSON: Resolution 10 080098, appointing Bernie Prazenica to the Board of Directors of the City Avenue Special Services District of Philadelphia and Lower Merion. Resolution No. 080099, appointing Matthew Schure to the Board of Directors of the City Avenue Special Services District of Philadelphia and Lower Merion. Resolution 080100, reappointing George R. Goldstone to the Board of Directors of the Board of Direct of the City Avenue Special Services District. Resolution 080101, appointing H. James Tollett to the Board of Directors of the Board of Direct of the 3 4/10/08 - WHOLE - RES. 080098, etc. City Avenue Special Services District of Philadelphia and Lower Merion. 080102, resolution reappointing Revenue Timothy Lannon to the Board of Directors.
Is Terrance Foley here? Please approach the witness table, if you will. (Witness approached witness table.)
Mr. Foley, it's my understanding that you are representing all of the other members for the District?
Is there a statement that you would like to make?
Excuse me. Just identify yourself for 4 4/10/08 - WHOLE - RES. 080098, etc. the record, if you will.
I'm sorry. My name is Terrance Foley. I'm the President of the City Avenue Special Services District of Philadelphia and Lower Merion. We have before you today the appointment and reappointment of five of our Board members who have served us very well in a dedicated and supportive manner to our mission, and we'd like to see them continue in that role.
Thank you. Are there any questions from members of the Committee? (No response.)
Councilman Jones, do you have any comments to make on this, or questions? Mr. Foley is at the witness table.
I just want 5 4/10/08 - WHOLE - RES. 080098, etc. to say that I live in my district which is shared by the counties. This overlay and these activities have meant the world to the viability and economics of that region. Looking forward, the people that are proposed to be a part of the planning of this, I trust and are looking at the best interest of a new day for City Avenue. So I support wholeheartedly the appointments. I support wholeheartedly the activities involved in the City Avenue Special District.
Thank you. Any other comments or questions from members of the Committee? (No response.)
Mr. Foley, thank you for taking the time to come in to testify.
Thank you. 6 4/10/08 - WHOLE - RES. 080098, etc. We will now consider Resolution 3 Nos. 080226, 080227, 080228, 080229 and 080230. I would ask Mr. McPherson to please read the titles of the resolutions. MR. McPHERSON: Resolution 9 080226, reappointing Fran Smith to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District. Resolution 080227, resolution 13 reappointing William Moore to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District. Resolution 080228, resolution 17 reappointing Ellen Yin to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District. Resolution 080229, reappointing Luca Sena to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District. Resolution 080230, appointing Stanley Taraila to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services 7 4/10/08 - WHOLE - RES. 080098, etc. District.
Do we have someone here to testify? (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning. I'm Cynthia Philo. I'm the President and CEO of the Old City District. Thank you very much for having me here to testify on behalf of the appointment and reappointment of some of our Board members. Just to kind of give you a little bit of a background on the people that you are going to be appointing and reappointing today, Bill Moore is the President and Chair of the Independence Visitors Center. He is also our current Chair of our Board of Directors. 8 4/10/08 - WHOLE - RES. 080098, etc.
Excuse me just a minute. The noise level is much too high. We're trying to conduct business. Thank you. Please proceed.
Thank you very much. Fran Smith is with Republic First Bank. She previously has done a great deal of work in the Old City area and also has been on the Board of Directors for the Alfred Salley Association. Stanley Taraila, who is a new appointment but not really a new appointment, is with Renaissance Properties, and he has been with Historic East Market Street for years and has worked on redeveloping the area. Ellin Yin -- many of you know her as the restauranteur and owner of Fork and Fork:etc -- is coming back to our Board, hopefully with your blessing. 9 4/10/08 - WHOLE - RES. 080098, etc. And Luca Sena is coming back to our Board. He owns Ristorante Panorama as well as Penns View Inn. These individuals have worked very hard in the past and will work very hard in the future. As a matter of fact, today they should be at their committee meetings doing the tasks that I've appointed them. So I respectfully request that the Board here today go ahead and move forward those appointments, and I'd be happy to answer any questions about them or about any activities going on in the Old City District.
Thank you. Are there any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion on the resolutions.
Madam Chair, I move that the resolutions be voted out of Committee with a favorable recommendation. (Duly seconded.)
The ayes have it, and the resolutions before us have been approved. Thank you. (Committee of the Whole adjourned at 9:50 a.m.) - - - 11 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on April 10, 2008, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)