Raleigh City Council Not Concerned About Issues On Backburner

Raleigh City Council

. Whether it is roommate limits, a debated street closing near Peace College or development plans, members seem to have a tough time making up their minds.

When Peace College announced plans for a three-acre expansion, school leaders did not think the process would take three years. Peace College is battling with some of its neighbors over plans to close Franklin Street to traffic. Their plans hit another snag when the City Council decided not to vote on the plan for a second time in a month.

"It does feel like Peace College has been a very patient neighbor, so we are ready to get on with our plans for campus development and we hope this will be a great step in the right direction," said Laura Carpenter Bingham, president of Peace College.

Some city councilmembers said the Peace College debate is another step in what they claim is a common practice. The City Council set the 3-year-old Coker Towers debate into mediation and set up a task force to explore the proposed limits on roommates.

When it comes to important issues, some city councilmembers say they do everything except vote.

"Folks on both sides of the issue really want resolution and it seems like the mayor is engaged in a stall tactic. It undermines the public confidence in the process and the way we do business in City Hall," councilor Kieran Shanahan said.

Mayor Charles Meeker said he disagrees with Shanahan's assessment. He believes they have been following a process that has worked for years.

"This participation takes time and this council has taken more time than other councils, but I think it is a good thing for the city. We are making good decisions in a timely fashion," he said.