UPDATE: Mr. Hutchings' Quest for MILLS ACT CONTRACT

  

Elizabeth F. Armstrong House #2


At the 2 May 2006 City Council meeting, during Appearances, Mr. David Hutchings addressed the City Council about two concerns.

1. WHEN...will the City Council set a date for The Mills Act Workshop?In December 2005, the City Council continued Mr. Hutchings' agenda item for a Mills Act Contract for his historic residence pending the holding of a Mills Act Workshop to educate the City Council and the public. Additionally, Mr. Hutchings stated that in a conversation with City Administrator Rich Guillen, Guillen told him a workshop could be "set up within a 24 hour period of time."

2. WHY...hasn't the City Council placed on an agenda and held a public hearing on his Mills Act Contract? Mr. Hutchings, referring to Municipal Code 17.32.100 Benefits Available to Historic resources on the Register B. Mills Act Historical Property Contracts. 5. Applications a, asked the City Attorney why the City had not acted on his Mills Act Contract since he had submitted his required materials by June 2005, and as the section states it allows "the City Council to approve and the City Clerk to cause to be recorded approved contracts within the calendar year in which application materials are received. The contract term would begin January 1st of the year following the application." However, because the City Council at their December 2005 meeting continued Mr. Hutchings' Mills Act Contract agenda item pending completion of a Mills Act Workshop, City Attorney Don Freeman stated that the City Council did not have to act of his application until December 31, 2006.

The following verbal exchange between Mr. Hutchings, Mayor McCloud and City Attorney Freeman is telling:

Mayor McCloud: "...then whoever is responsible gets back to you."
Mr. Hutchings: "No one is being responsive to me. And that's really the problem and why I am here today. And it's really nice to say that, with all due respect, but you have to respond. And you're not responding to me."
Mayor McCloud: "We'll get back to you."
City Attorney Freeman: "We'll get back to you."

If, as City Attorney Freeman declared at the meeting, the purpose of continuing Mr. Hutchings' Mills Act Contract agenda item in December 2005 was to hold a Mills Act Workshop to educate the City Council and the public, then why have 5 months elapsed with no commitment by the City to set a date for the Workshop? Mr. Hutchings, and all potential Mills Act Contract applicants, deserve far better treatment from the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea.