City Council

Minutes were approved by the Government Operations & Ordinances Committee on May 22, 2024. CITY OF LACONIA - CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING Government Ordinances & Operations Committee 3:00 P.M. 1/3/2024 - Minutes 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Soucy called the meeting to order at 3:03 PM 2. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Councilor Cheney led the salute to the flag. 3. RECORDING SECRETARY Katie Gargano, City Clerk 4. ROLL CALL Clerk Gargano called the roll of the following committee members: Councilor Cheney, Councilor Soucy and Councilor Felch. All committee members were in attendance and a quorum was established. 5. STAFF IN ATTENDANCE Kirk Beattie, City Manager 6. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS 7. GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ORDINANCES (Soucy (Chair), Felch, Cheney) 7.A. Discussion and review of the flag policy The City Council has recommended further review and discussion of a proposed flag policy by the Government Operations and Ordinances Subcommittee. A copy of the most current proposed policy is attached to the agenda. Human Relations Committee Members Present: Carrie Chandler, Patrick Wood & David Osmond via facetime. Councilor Soucy asked Mr. Wood if they have any updates to bring forth to the committee. He also has some concerns from another councilor who couldn’t be there and he’d like to address those on his behalf. Mr. Wood said he spoke to the public works director, and he suggested in Section 3- under the definition of an event that they add the word art before the word exhibitions. Mr. Osmond suggested under the definition of flag, we could eliminate the reference to maritime signals because that probably won’t be a relevant issue. That whole sentence would be taken out completely.  Mr. Wood said he spoke to the public works director, and he suggested in Section 3- under the definition of an event that they add the word art before the word exhibitions. Mr. Osmond suggested under the definition of flag, we could eliminate the reference to maritime signals because that probably won’t be a relevant issue. That whole sentence would be taken out completely. The other question from the previous meeting was about clarifying the process, which he’d like to discuss with the committee. Chairman Soucy said his has to do with section 8 and he’d like to move in order of the policy. Mr. Wood said the application process laid out in section 6 was brought up at the last City Council meeting as a concern and he wanted to know if what is listed is sufficient or does it need some clarification? Mr. Wood said it had to do with how the human relations committee would be involved with accepting the application and he wants to make sure they are all on the same page. Chairman Soucy said the City Council wanted to make sure the final say was with the Council and the Human Relations Committee would not be approving anything, the Human relations committee would be an advisory board to the process. Manager Beattie clarified if someone was requesting a certain flag be hung that the Council wasn’t familiar with, the Human Relations Committee could do the research on the request and report back to the Council. Chairman Soucy said Councilor Bogert questioned in Section 8 about the fees, Councilor Bogert doesn’t want the committee waiving the fees incurred by the City to hang and remove the banners and flags. Councilor Felch clarified that the Human Relations Committee does not have the authority to waive any fees. They could recommend it to the Council, but the Council will have the final say. Manager Beattie confirmed they would work on cleaning up the language in that section, the intent and the purpose will remain the same. Councilor Felch asked for this revised draft be sent again to legal. Manager Beattie confirmed it will go back to legal. Chairman Soucy would like to see this go back to the Council before going to Legal to make sure Council agrees with the changes. Manager Beattie said he would not bring this to legal until the subcommittee agrees with the proposed policy in conjunction with the Human Relations Committee. Councilor Cheney went back to section 1 to ask about city owned property being exempt when he thinks it’s included. Mr. Wood said that the intent was to list what was exempt by the policy and no one could apply to have something hung there. Mr. Wood is going to get some clarification and get back to Councilor Cheney. He then asked about eligibility in section 4, he’d like the word “or” removed so that only a local Laconia person must have a direct tie to the City of Laconia to make the request. Section 5 under eligible flags he read it aloud skipped down to the last section where it said the City Manager will have the sole discretion on the application. He believes it says the City Council in another section and both sections should match. Mr. Wood explained the differences to Councilor Cheney and the committee. Councilor Cheney agreed and apologized for not understanding. Councilor Felch stated he was all set and didn’t have any questions. Chairman Soucy said he’d like Manager Beattie to make all the corrections and send it back out to the committee, then he will give the OK to send to Legal and then it can go to Council. The Council will then schedule a public hearing. Chairman Soucy will provide an update during the committee reports at the next Council meeting. 7.B. Discussion and review of the operating hours of the City's parks Councilor Soucy, Chair of the Government Operations and Ordinances Subcommittee, has requested the Subcommittee discuss the operating hours of the City’s parks. The following information regarding hours of operation of City parks which is included in the Laconia Parks and Recreation Rules and Regulations: HOURS: All parks and beaches shall open at 7:00am and close at 10:00 pm with the exception of Weirs Beach which shall close at midnight. Extended park hours for scheduled events may be  The following information regarding hours of operation of City parks which is included in the Laconia Parks and Recreation Rules and Regulations: HOURS: All parks and beaches shall open at 7:00am and close at 10:00 pm with the exception of Weirs Beach which shall close at midnight. Extended park hours for scheduled events may be available with prior approval from the Commission or City Council. Per Code Section 5-26 (copy attached to agenda) the Parks and Recreation Commission has the authority to adopt the Rules and Regulations governing the City’s parks. Amy Lovisek, Director of Parks & Recreation was present at the meeting. Director Lovisek wanted the committee to be aware that these hours apply to all parks except Weirs Beach. Having Park hours from dawn to dusk is not feasible for all the parks and she does not feel that it is going to alter what is going on in some of our parks, because that is happening in the daytime. Currently dusk is 4:30 PM and we will not be able to use the lights we have installed at the parks; it is not fair to the park users because they wouldn’t be able to access the parks after school or after work. Applying different rules to different parks is not something that is recommended by Primex. Councilor Felch agrees that he does not think this will solve the issues that have been brought up. Councilor Soucy said maybe we could not allow loitering and Director Lovisek said that is what a park is, it is meant to be loitered in. People are allowed to go to sit in the park and eat their sandwich on their lunch break or play some music. She doesn’t think it will help alter enforcement. Councilor Cheney brought up the possibility of having seasonal park hours. Councilor Felch said that this subject should be taken up with the Parks Commission. Director Lovisek said she will bring this to their attention at their next meeting on January 16, 2024. The power is off at the Gazebo in Rotary Park and it is marked with a sign that the gazebo is for events only. 7.C. Review of Chapter 150 - Fireworks On October 10, 2023, the City Council approved amendments to Code Chapter 150 – Fireworks. These amendments established restrictions on the display of permissible fireworks and set associated penalties for violation of those restrictions. A copy of Chapter 150 – Fireworks is attached to the agenda. It was brought to the attention of the Council that there is a need to add December 31 st to the ordinance. The committee agreed to add that date to the existing ordinance and Chairman Soucy notified the manager to make the amendment. Manager Beattie let the committee know this amendment will require another public hearing. 7.D. Discussion of allowing casinos in the City of Laconia The City Council agenda for the August 14, 2023 meeting contained an item for a discussion regarding a potential zoning change which would allow casinos in the City of Laconia. At that meeting this matter was referred to the Government Operations and Ordinances Subcommittee for further discussion and review; that discussion occurred at the Subcommittee’s meeting on August 25, 2023. Anthony Santagate was present at the meeting on this subject. Manager Beattie tried to get a meeting set up with the gaming commissioner, but they couldn’t get one together in time prior to this meeting. He did speak with our legal department, and they said that it should fit within current zoning ordinances, it will outline specific zones. Mr. Santagate shared with the committee what he is going through for the application process. It is extremely lengthy, it involves a full background, a full current investigation, and future history. Chairman Soucy wanted to know how the City gets compensated for this. Mr. Santagate believes it will be through the meals and rooms tax that is paid into the State of NH. Manager Beattie said that is one of his questions for the gaming commissioner. Councilor Felch said one way the City is going  it should fit within current zoning ordinances, it will outline specific zones. Mr. Santagate shared with the committee what he is going through for the application process. It is extremely lengthy, it involves a full background, a full current investigation, and future history. Chairman Soucy wanted to know how the City gets compensated for this. Mr. Santagate believes it will be through the meals and rooms tax that is paid into the State of NH. Manager Beattie said that is one of his questions for the gaming commissioner. Councilor Felch said one way the City is going to benefit is a certain portion of his proceeds have to be given to charities and they will be local charities. Mr. Santagate said that 35% must go to a nonprofit, 10% to the state. So far he has passed the first application, he is working on the second one. the second one is about 70 % done, the rest is financial information. The plan is the big house would be used as the casino, the big house and slightly up the hill from Tower Hill Tavern. The building capacity will be cut from close to 500 down to 180 capacity once all the gaming tables are put in. Chairman Soucy wanted to know that is the timeline. Mr. Santagate is hoping for the January of 2025. 8. CITIZENS REQUESTS TO COMMENT ON CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS None. 9. Any other business that may come before the Council Councilor Cheney would like the committee to look at performance zoning, he feels it needs to be reviewed. Councilor Soucy said at the next meeting the historic district will be reviewed and Charlie St. Claire and his group will be present. Manager Beattie wants to make sure the new Planning Director is in position when the next meeting happens. 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 3:54 PM. Respectfully submitted, Katie Gargano, City Clerk