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Resident urges city to grant utility connection for Vanderburgh Arboretum; council moves to closed session to discuss legal strategy
Summary
A neighbor urged the council to allow a nominal electrical connection for the Vanderburgh Arboretum; the council placed the matter on tonight’s closed session agenda to confer with counsel about likely litigation and related strategy and voted unanimously to enter closed session.
A neighborhood representative told the Two Rivers City Council on Feb. 3 that the Vanderburgh Arboretum provides free public access and should receive a city utility connection despite the city’s stated concern about precedent. The council later moved into closed session to discuss communications from the arboretum regarding city utility services.
Joel Trick, who identified himself as a resident at 1208 Mahogany Run and a frequent user of the arboretum, told the council he and neighbors had collected signatures supporting the arboretum and asked the city to make an exception to allow an electrical connection through WPS to the property. “We ask that the city consider granting this exception due to the extraordinary nature of the situation,” Trick said, noting the arboretum’s public benefits and minimal cost to the city.
City staff acknowledged the request and noted the topic appears on tonight’s closed session agenda under the authority to confer with legal counsel regarding pending or likely litigation. The council then approved a motion to enter closed session under Wisconsin statutes relating to confidentiality of legal strategy; the roll call vote recorded nine ayes and no nos.
The meeting record shows the council voted to go into closed session for conferring with legal counsel under Wisconsin Statutes §19.85(1)(g) regarding communications from Vanderburgh Arboretum about city utility services. The council president noted there may be action after reconvening to open session.
No final action on the arboretum request was taken in open session. The council’s closed‑session vote was procedural to allow confidential legal discussion and strategy regarding the arboretum’s communications and any possible litigation.
