I want to thank all those who attended the City Council meeting, Tuesday night to voice opinions regarding the proposed Boat Concession on the Lagoon. It was standing room only as 39 speakers came to the podium.
Between the residents in the audience and all the emails received, it was gratifying to see so many members of the community participate and engage in the decision making process.
This community participation is something I’ve wanted to encourage and promote since becoming Mayor. Whether you were for or against the proposal, it was good to hear all of you engage in thoughtful and respectful debate.
Although the final decision to allow the concession to go forward might seem disappointing to some, it’s my hope that after hearing all the relevant facts and taking into consideration the oversight and other restrictions, that major concerns about this proposal have been minimized.
After distilling through all the comments, both emails and oral presentations, it seemed to me that the one issue compelling most of the negativity is that of a loss of privacy. As a long time resident of Foster City and the Mayor, I share also in those concerns.
I believe that the decision to limit this opportunity to one concession operator only and to provide for a 1-year trial period before extending the contract is in keeping with being sensitive to these concerns.
Having this trial period and imposing restrictions on the operation provides a fair balance between privacy issues and the interest of those not living on the water who might like to enjoy a boat ride on our beautiful and serene lagoon.
Therefore it is my hope that the concession will go forward successfully and that it will be well received by all residents.
One resident made a comment that any decision that could be divisive and pit one neighbor against another is a bad decision. I couldn’t agree more. It is always the objective of this council to make decisions based on the best interests of all the citizens of Foster City.
It would be very disheartening to see any neighbors in this community show any animosity or contempt for those of a different opinion. Therefore, I would ask those who might still disagree with this decision, to attempt to embrace it, at least for now, with an open mind and a positive spirit.
During the debate and discussion, I was disturbed at the number of comments made referring to a lack of adequate communication concerning city council meetings and the discussions and/ or decisions that are up for debate.
As Mayor of Foster City, my greatest hope is to get more citizens involved and informed as to what is going on. I would therefore ask for any comments or suggestions as to what you think might be most helpful to you in accomplishing this objective.
Please email me your comments on this and other issues at lkoelling@fostercity.org
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