Utah's Olympic organizers brought an olive branch back from Atlanta for the Salt Lake City Council.
The glitches in Atlanta's Games convinced Utah organizers that Utah can't afford any infighting if its games are going to succeed, said Tom Welch, president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee."Whatever it takes, we have to establish a cooperation and coordination that avoids turf battles. We are in this thing together," he told the Salt Lake City Council Thursday night.
Welch offered peace and something the council has fought for: representation on the committee's board of trustees.
The City Council clashed with Gov. Mike Leavitt last year when Leavitt refused to give the council advise and consent power over Salt Lake Mayor Deedee Corradini's appointments to the board.
Leavitt even persuaded the 1996 Legislature to take away the council's advise and consent power over board appointments.
In an exchange of sharp words last spring, Leavitt told the City Council the Games were no more Salt Lake's Games than they were Park City's Games. The Games are Utah's Games, he said, pointing out that the statewas indemnifying them from any financial loss.
But Welch brought a very different message to the council: No one entity can do it alone, he said. "It takes the city, the county, the state, the federal government and the organizing committee."
Welch saw Atlanta law enforcement squabbling over who was in charge in the middle of the Games and realized fighting in Utah must stop, he said.
"If this council feels that it needs to be represented in addition to the mayor's appointment, we should have the mayor appoint someone from the council. And until that gets done, we should have a council member come and participate. . . . Whatever it takes to pull together, we've got to pull it together. We have to get done what needs to be done to pull the Games off."
"Have you said these words to the governor?" asked an incredulous Tom Godfrey, a council member.
"I have. I hope he heard them," Welch replied.
The council did not formally respond to Welch's invitation of representation, but several council members praised the offer.