I am Josh West, a Ward 3 Alderman who has served on Morrison’s City Council a number of years. I am writing in response to an article [Assistant Editor] Jerry Lindsey wrote in regards to Monday’s, June 12[, 2023,] City Council meeting. While I wouldn’t have used the word “ignited,” to describe my actions that night, Jerry was right. I, indeed, hastily left the room in the middle of the meeting and, upon exiting, threw my name plate into the garbage. This behavior was a breach of decorum [and was] unacceptable….For those in attendance, I apologize. However, what Jerry left out was any nuance as to how the conversations that night, and across the previous weeks, had unfolded.
Two of the stressful votes on Monday night were in regards to allowing UScellular to build a 190-foot tower in the area of Kiwanis Park and the new dog park, and…in regards to overnight parking in Morrison’s downtown. These two issues were a culmination of weeks of discussion on topics that I admit I have felt very passionate about….I was confused, based on past Council conversation, as to why they were being brought to a vote that night. When brought to vote, anything can happen, and how a particular Ordinance is written and introduced can complicate the vote itself. Anyway, I was adamantly opposed to allowing a cell tower in one of our parks, for reasons too numerous to name, and I did not want to discourage people from staying, and living, downtown, by disallowing them to park on Main Street on Sunday evenings.
Full disclosure: my wife and I own a short-term and a long-term rental above office space downtown. It has been amazing to meet people from literally all over the Country who come to Morrison, stay downtown, enjoy our people and history, and check out the area. Since we first started renting these spaces out, a number of others have decided to offer residential housing (both short- and long-term) above their respective downtown buildings. My wife and I think this is great, as we understand that the more people who inhabit our downtown, the more vibrant it is, and the more we all benefit in terms of traffic into our establishments, which turns into sales tax dollars for our City’s needs. The ball keeps rolling forward.
With the votes, the cell tower failed to get green lighted on a 5-to-3 count, which was extremely stressful. While I don’t remember the final tally, ultimately the Council voted to disallow cars from parking over night on Sundays. I was elated by one vote, and bewildered by the other.
This is democracy. It is hard; there are disagreements; voices can be raised; decorum can, at times, be forgotten. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t have been an Alderman for the past six years. [Had I not] been an Alderman, I wouldn’t have had an article in my hometown paper written about my bad behavior. However, n[either] would I have been involved in a number of positive initiatives in the community, many of them in partnership with Mayor [Everett] Pannier. It has been an honor to serve, and perhaps my time should be winding down.
Whether you agree or disagree with my positions or my behavior, please come to our City Council meetings and join the fray. Even better, run for City Council.
Josh West