City Council News: April 23, 2009

Sorry this is late. There was a lot to go through this week, and many items I couldn't write about off the top of my head. I've spent a lot of time digging into the ordinance attachments.

• The city allocated $280,000 in unexpected grant funds to rehabilitate six houses and a hotel in the Jazz district. I've said all along that their problem is population density. If they would spend that money on filling the vacant land around 18th and Vine, it's likely that the market would eventually take care of the houses and the hotel.
  
• Last week, a measure limiting administrative transfers by City Hall department heads was re-referred to the Finance and Audit Committee. (My previous post explains what this is.) This week, the ordinance came out of committee and passed unanimously. So, Sharp sacrificed city halls flexibility on the alter of a short-term gain.
• The approval process was started for a retail project on the Northwest Corner of 14th and Paseo. See my previous post for details.
  
• The city paid the first $900,000 for Power & Light District debt service.
  
• The City received a $7,323,734.00 grant from the department of Housing and Urban Development for the purchase and redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed property.
  
• The city allocated $175,000 for something called the Black Heritage Economic Development Plan. The money is being paid to Collins Noteis and Associates for "economic development analysis and strategy, planning and urban design and housing analysis and strategy". I can't find a web site for this firm, but they appear to get a number of city contracts throughout the region, including work on the City-proposed light rail plan last year. The Collins in this company name is for Robert Collins, City Manager immediately before Wayne Cauthen.