HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.06.2006•
COUNCIL WORK SESSION
April 6, 2006
8:00 a.m.
Council Chambers
Members present: Mayor Hurley, Welper, Gunderson, Getty, Cole, Schmitt, Kincaid,
Greenwood.
Moved by Schmitt, seconded by Welper that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved. Ayes: Five.
Absent: Kincaid, Greenwood. Motion carried.
Mayor Hurley reviewed Standing Committee agendas for meetings scheduled for Monday, April
10, 2006.
Councilperson Kincaid now present at 8:02 a.m.
The lease agreement with Willard Frost is on the Building & Grounds Committee agenda. Mr.
Frost is requesting to lease approximately 20 acres of land generally located at the southwest
corner of Bishop Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive to use for farming purposes. Mr. Frost
would pay $1.00 for the one-year agreement. The land has not been used for farming purposes
for several years and the brush will need to be cleaned off.
Mayor Hurley discussed items on the council agenda for the meeting scheduled for Monday,
April 10, 2006. Items discussed included the following:
Greenwood now present at 8:09 a.m.
The agreement with Richard F. Warren & Associates at a cost of $30,000.00 to seek funding up
to $700,000.00 through the federal Office of Community Services Discretionary Grant Program
to be used for redevelopment of the Logan Plaza retail area was discussed. They will help the
city come up with a strategy to redevelop the area. It is hoped that the owner of the property will
agree to lease payments for the retail area. The grant would allow us to solicit developers to get
national retailers to come in. At this time, there is no written agreement with the property owner
to work with the city on lease payments that would be acceptable to the developers and retailers.
Mr. Rappaport, owner of the Logan Plaza area, owns a considerable amount of land in this area,
from Logan Plaza area to Ralston and back to East 4th Street. Council members were concerned
with spending the funds for Richard F. Warren & Associates if Mr. Rappaport is not willing to
have reasonable rent rates. Councilperson Kincaid believes it will be money well -spent if we are
awarded the grant and wants to move ahead with this agreement. Don Temeyer, Community
Planning & Development Director, reported that the grant application has to be submitted by
May 12. Mr. Temeyer noted that the city is working on the design for U.S. Highway 63, and he
would like to work all facets of the corridor. Mr. Temeyer noted that the grant would be used by
the Highway 63 Gateway Community Development Corporation, a non-profit corporation. The
primary purpose of the corporation is to plan, coordinate and implement public and private
redevelopment efforts within the neighborhoods generally located in the eastside of the city. The
money for the agreement is available from GO funds.
The resolution to cancel the July 3 council meeting was discussed. The meeting is being
canceled due to the Fourth of July holiday. Council discussed whether they would then meet on
the fifth Monday of the month of July to make up for canceling the July 3 meeting. It was the
consensus of the members that only three meetings would be held in July.
The request from Gary and Caroline Wendel to vacate, sell and convey a portion of Lowell
avenue, alley and area near the levee system between Mitchell and Boston Avenues was
discussed. Councilperson Welper asked if this is in the area that Pat Rooff wanted to purchase.
Noel Anderson, City Planner, replied this is not the same parcel, but is in that area. The Building
& Grounds Committee denied Mr. Rooff's request because his recycling yard was not in
compliance.
With no further business before the council, it was moved by Getty, seconded by Cole that the
meeting be adjourned at 8:26 a.m. Ayes: Seven. Motion carried.
Nancy Eckert
City Clerk