Huntley Statement on R-3-25

I have always said that my priorities regarding the city dock project are to unpave paradise and preserve it for posterity.

Over the past few days, I have received messages from many of you about the need to maintain regular order as the council votes on R-3-25 tonight. I want you to know that I will not support a motion to suspend the rules. I truly did read and consider every message that I received (even those I haven't responded to yet), and I have heard you. As a result, I anticipate that the council will only vote to introduce this resolution on first reader tonight.

My initial opinion was that a resolution to simply reiterate support for an urgently-needed project that had already received all necessary city approvals after decades of input was uncontroversial enough that there was no reason not to pass it quickly. But your questions made me realize that I have not been able to make an adequately affirmative case for why we should pass it on first reader.

Further, I will look to amend the resolution to make it abundantly clear that it only deals with the first phase of the project (the park and resilience aspects), which has gone through all city approvals. It has never been my understanding that this resolution would commit to the waterfront welcome center. With the clarifying amendment, I do hope to be able to reiterate my support for the duly-approved efforts to create a park and long-term resilience.

I also want to acknowledge a misstatement in my email on Sunday; it is not true that the approved, first phase of the project does not include a children's fountain. In a long couple days of responding to different messages about this resolution, I combined two separate thoughts in a way that was not factually accurate. Thank you to those who held me accountable on this.

I will always listen, and I will always vote in what I believe to be residents' best interest. Please never hesitate to get in touch with me at Harry@HarryMHuntley.com or aldhuntley@annapolis.gov.

Source: https://mailchi.mp/63734f1ecd7c/statement-on-city-dock-resolution?e=bbae4cfc34