{"id":1343,"date":"2016-06-06T14:44:55","date_gmt":"2016-06-06T19:44:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/truthinaddison.com\/?page_id=1343"},"modified":"2016-06-06T14:44:55","modified_gmt":"2016-06-06T19:44:55","slug":"lost-in-wisconsin-finds-its-home-in-addison","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/truthinaddison.com\/?page_id=1343","title":{"rendered":"Lost in Wisconsin Finds Its Home In Addison"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cLost in Wisconsin\u201d<\/strong>
\nFinds Its Home In Addison<\/strong>
\nBy Susan M. Halpern<\/strong>
\nFormer Addison Councilmember (1992-1999)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You may have noticed the installation of a piece of art \u2013 titled \u201cLost in Wisconsin\u201d \u2013 at the newly designed entrance to the Health Club at the corner of Beltway and Proton. It is spectacular, truly completing the redesign of that area.\u00a0 Kudos to the folks involved with the Addison Arbor Foundation, as well as Slade Strickland, who envisioned a redesign of this corner around this wonderful piece of art.<\/p>\n

But it almost didn\u2019t happen. And, in typical fashion, Todd Meier is spinning a tall tale about it.\u00a0 At his recent coffee gathering, Meier told those in attendance that the new council had revisited the issue of the placement of this sculpture, suggesting that they had reversed course from a prior council vote.\u00a0 From there, Meier made inflammatory suggestions about other things the new council might revisit, including getting rid of council videos, a suggestion that is absurd at best.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the thing. The new council didn\u2019t revisit anything.\u00a0 The council voted long ago \u2013 and unanimously \u2013 to place “Lost in Wisconsin” exactly where it now sits.\u00a0 The truth is that it was Meier who tried to throw a wrench in things.\u00a0 And the way it happened provides yet another example of Meier’s tactics and the lack of transparency that has plagued Addison under his regime.\u00a0 So let\u2019s talk about it.<\/p>\n

First, the council approved this sculpture and its placement at the corner of Beltway and Proton on July 9 2013, almost three years ago. You can watch the video of Item R4 here: http:\/\/addisontx.swagit.com\/play\/07092013-718<\/u><\/a>.\u00a0 The discussion involved three different pieces of art that the Addison Arbor Foundation proposed to place at various locations in Addison.\u00a0 Each piece and its location was discussed separately and, all were approved by unanimous vote.\u00a0 That included the placement of \u201cLost in Wisconsin\u201d where it presently sits.<\/p>\n

During the discussion specifically relating to “Lost in Wisconsin,” then-Parks and Recreation Director Slade Strickland described his intent to redesign the corner at Beltway and Proton around this particular sculpture. Just before the council voted on the matter, then-Councilmember Neil Resnik congratulated all involved for their work in bringing these art pieces to Town, commenting: \u201cIt fits right in with our vision.\u201d\u00a0 To which Meier responded: \u201cIt absolutely does.\u00a0 Well said.\u201d\u00a0 And then the council, including Meier, voted to put \u201cLost in Wisconsin\u201d exactly where it now sits.<\/p>\n

To my knowledge, that direction by council was never retracted by any vote of any council. So what happened?\u00a0 According to Addison\u2019s Director of Communications Mary Rosenbleeth, writing on the Addison News blog: \u201cDuring a work session in October, 2015, the Council\u00a0debated the addition of a recognition garden as part of the pedestrian plaza. \u00a0They directed staff to explore other options in Town for a recognition component for the community, but also to delay installation of the art piece<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

And here\u2019s the problem. This matter was discussed during a work session <\/em>held prior to the council’s October 13, 2015 meeting.\u00a0 It was NOT on the council’s agenda as an item on which action might be taken. So, the public had no notice that the council was going to consider doing anything.\u00a0 And such notice is required by the Open Meetings Act.\u00a0 All of which means that the council had no right to take any action on this matter during that work session.<\/p>\n

You can verify the council’s agenda (https:\/\/addisontexas.net\/index.php?section=agenda<\/u><\/a>).\u00a0 But, you won’t be able to see the work session discussion because Meier holds those off camera.\u00a0 So, there’s no video record of what exactly happened in October 2015.\u00a0 Whatever it was, this much is clear: the council had no right to direct the staff to ignore the prior directive of council given at the July 9, 2013 meeting.\u00a0 Apparently, that didn’t stop Meier and his cadre.<\/p>\n

Now, I recognize that the placement of artwork around Town isn\u2019t the overriding issue of our time. But sculptures aren’t the point.\u00a0 Process that ensures transparency \u2013 REAL, ACTUAL TRANSPARENCY \u2013 is<\/em><\/strong> the point.\u00a0 The right to understand and question what our government is doing is the right of every citizen and resident of Addison.\u00a0 And it’s been ignored for too long.\u00a0 In large ways and in small, Meier has ignored the safeguards that protect our rights.\u00a0 I for one am thankful for a new council that walks the walk, and I hope that we will continue to unravel all that has been concealed because of the previously misguided “tone at the top.”<\/p>\n

In the meantime, it is clear that the new council didn\u2019t change or revisit the placement of “Lost in Wisconsin.” It simply voted yet again \u2013 and again unanimously \u2013 for the current placement of the sculpture, just as it had three years ago.\u00a0 And, despite his attacks on the new councilmembers, the record is also clear that Meier voted for “Lost in Wisconsin” to be placed exactly where it now sits, including with his enthusiastic endorsement of Neil Resnik’s comment that this “fits right in with our vision.\u201d<\/p>\n

This episode again raises the specter of troubling behavior on the part of this misguided mayor. If anything has been LOST, it is the rights of Addison\u2019s residents to have a truly transparent government.\u00a0 That will slowly but surely change, as the new council demonstrates its commitment to REAL TRANSPARENCY.\u00a0 But, Meier\u2019s conduct at the recent coffee gathering also demonstrates that Meier apparently intends to make these improvements a painful process, as he continues to mislead citizens and foment division in our Town.<\/p>\n

But this particular episode has a happy ending, as \u201cLost in Wisconsin\u201d has finally found its spectacular new Home in Addison.<\/p>\n

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