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Residents raise an ethics complaint and downtown parking concerns during citizen comments
Summary
During non‑agenda public comments Darwin Urie refiled an ethics complaint alleging political activity by a council member at a church and Yvonne De Norris complained that downtown parklets were installed without adequate notice and were removing parking used by older patrons.
During the citizen‑comment period at the April 27 council meeting, two residents raised separate concerns.
Darwin Urie told the council he had refiled an ethics complaint against two council members for political activity and expressed worry about potential utility rate increases that could affect elderly, disabled and low‑income residents. Urie said he did not want to name individuals from the podium but urged the council to maintain nonpartisan practices.
Yvonne De Norris, owner of Kwik Print on the square, said merchants were not adequately informed about recent downtown parklets that remove parking spaces on the southeast quadrant. "These parklets are not going to help us," De Norris said, adding that many of her customers are over age 50 and depend on convenient parking. Council members responded that staff had reorganized and added parking in other nearby blocks and said they would look into communications with affected businesses.
Councilmembers also clarified that a spouse working for a local nonprofit that provides utility assistance does not by itself create a conflict of interest and that elected officials may endorse political candidates outside local nonpartisan obligations.
