Mike Cooper will do a presentation about ‘WHAT’ the Planning Department does. Let me simplify it for you . . . wait for Sanford or Lloyd Companies to call.
We will get a presentation on what is going in at the RR redevelopment area. Just for the record, I do know that it will NOT be a Dave & Busters.
Regular Council Meeting – 7 PM
Item #1, Approval of Contracts,
Even though we may be running the city on fumes, we seem to have plenty of money to move a head with Phase III of the River Greenway project.
Apparently Stone Group Architects buy the old Fire Station from us, than we give them $54,000 back for a façade. What a deal!
We are replacing a Water Main at Great Bear and it is coming out of the Parks budget? Huh? I thought water pipe replacement is supposed to come out of the enterprise funds? It just goes to show that we can take money out of the CIP for the Water treatment expansion if we want to and NOT raise water rates.
We need to hire a private attorney at $10K to tell us how to fill out a purchase agreement.
We are building a bunch of (un)affordable houses that we will never make our money back on.
Item #2, Change orders, apparently we need another $62K for the Brown bear exhibit.
Item #27, 2nd Reading, Lifescape requesting to tear down affordable housing to build more parking WITHOUT a feasibility study finished. This will be an interesting one to watch. Our ramrod, pass the flaming football planning commission pushed this off to the council.
Item #28/42, 2nd Reading, Funding for USD Discovery Center and Falls Park platforms. I expect some debate on this item. Councilors Stehly and Starr have requested an actual study before moving forward with capital expenses.
Item #29, 2nd Reading, Paramedics Plus gets their automatic fee rate increases, including $21 a mile fuel charge. Not sure who they are getting their fuel from, but that’s steep.
Item #43, Resolution, Gifting some junk signs to the Stockyard experience folks.
Item #47, Resolution, Insurance coverage agreement amendment with Levitt. Not sure what this means, “Liquor liability insurance”, but apparently we will be able to get our drink on at the events. Woot! Woot!
Item #48, Resolution, Appointment to Boards, I see the most wonderful, Sandra Callies is getting appointed to the Visual Arts Commission. Woot! Woot! Woot!
Item #50-51, Motion to approve travel for either 3 OR 4 Councilors to the National League of Cities. I guess they have to debate on how many people get to go. Silly. I have often felt that councilors attending these conferences is much more valuable than hiring consultants. They bring back great ideas from other cities to help form legislation. We pay consultants to tell us what we want to hear.
On item # 27, what will be the impact of property values in that neighborhood after it begins to host a permanent parking lot?
It seems to me, that if the parking lot is approved, that that is a “taking” and the City will or should compensate the neighborhood for the loss in their property values due to that new parking lot…
After Huether there’s a cash flow problem. How about selling City Hall and Carnegie? Once imploded, the land is valuable for multistory office or condo development. The vacant floors at the new Admin Building could become city offices with the top floor for council chamber and the mayor’s office. Overflow dysfunctional services and personnel could be leased space in the 300 building across the street. I know, common sense, not gonna happen.