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Richard Piatt reporting The dispute over Salt Lake City's Main Street Plaza is coming to a head.
Tonight the city council took it's best shot at Mayor Anderson's proposal to settle on-going differences about the easement on the plaza.
The mayor is hoping his ideas will settle the plaza dispute once and for all.
And in some ways, they might.
But the national chapter of the A-C-L-U is still on the case, saying free speech on the plaza should not be sold or traded.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints wants to avoid this: Obnoxious protesters on Main Street plaza, disrupting its peaceful, sacred atmosphere.
But the tension, and divisiveness over the plaza isn't over: even with a vote set for next week aimed at solving the problem.
Eric Jergensen/Salt Lake city Council: "THERE WILL BE ANOTHER A-C-L-U CHALLENGE NO MATTER WHAT WE DO. NO MATTER WHAT WE DO WE'VE BEEN TOLD THERE WILL BE ANOTHER LAWSUIT. "
The New York-based National chapter of the A-C-L-U has made it clear, it sees the proposal to settle the plaza's easement dispute, as local government submitting to a Church.
It is also concerned the deal skirts the intent of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled free speech on the land shouldn't be for sale. The U-S Supreme Court will decide whether to hear The Church's appeal of that ruling.
Still, the Mayor is pressing forward with a proposal to extinguish the easement and shore up the Church's interests in the plaza in exchange for money, and this parcel of land near the Sorensen Center.
Some on the council wonder whether this land/money exchange for the easement is a good idea.
Jill Love/Salt Lake City Council Member "WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL BE IN IT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL COST TO RUN IT. AND WE WON'T KNOW THAT AT THE TIME WE'LL BE TAKING A VOTE, SO THAT IS A CONCERN "
Both the Mayor and the Council have been painted into a corner, legally.
Finding a way out has not been simple.
Rocky Anderson/Salt Lake City Mayor "YOU CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF IT HAD BEEN DISCLOSED PUBLIC ACCESS WHETHER THIS TRANSACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO TAKE PLACE."
The public has not weighed in on this matter for a few months.
But now, the time has come.
City council will hold a public hearing on the plaza issue next Tuesday at six p-m in the city council chamber at the city and county building. It will last as long as it takes.
Right now council is expecting to make a decision public Thursday June 5th.
