Auburn Council Discusses Redevelopment Plan, Identifies Blighted and Economically Distressed Areas

Members of the Auburn City Council discussed plans to declare several areas of the city as blighted and economically distressed under a new redevelopment plan in their workshop meeting May 19. 

Under the plan, parts of Carter Road, Parks Mill and Main Street, which contain apartments and mobile home parks, would be labeled blighted. 

"The word blighted is not a word that we chose," Mayor Linda Blechinger said. "People are offended when they hear that you're calling their properties blighted."

Auburn Street, the Downtown District and Auburn Business Park would be labeled economically distressed, based on underdevelopment, lack of business permits and business vacancy. Auburn Business Park is 57 percent vacant, a problem City Planner Larry Lucas attributed to a lack of visibility from the road.

"What we hear from so many of the business owners is they don't know we're back here," he said.

The two main goals of the redevelopment plan are to increase quality rental housing and business development within the city. The plan will allow Auburn to apply for grants from the state department, the IRS and other federal agencies. The city can also offer incentives, such as federal tax breaks for businesses, once the plan is in place. 

Property owners would not be forced to participate in the program. The city will work with property owners who wish to participate in improving their areas.

Two public hearings will be held on the issue Wednesday, May 26, and at the next council meeting Thursday, June 2. A vote will take place after the final public hearing.

Other business

• Interim Chief of Police Paul Nadeau presented the council with three different plans regarding the purchase of Tasers for the police department. Under the first plan, the city would purchase eight Tasers, which would be used on two- to three-day rotations by on-duty officers at a cost of $8,965.85. A plan to purchase 15 Tasers, equipping all road officers on a rotation, would cost $14,789.15. Equipping all sworn personnel with an additional spare, a total of 19 Tasers, would cost $18,116.75. Dorissa Shackleford, who was absent from the May 19 meeting, and Mayor Linda Blechinger had voiced their support for equipping all officers. The money to purchase the Tasers would come from the narcotic/seizure fund, which can only be used to buy police equipment.  
• The council reviewed an audit of Auburn's 2010 fiscal year performed by Hubert A. Briscoe, CPA. The city spent $880,943  from the general fund last year, which left a balance of $2,260,736. General fund expenses decreased last year when compared with 2009, and Auburn had more than six months worth of reserve funds, surpassing the city's policy to have at least three months. For 2010, Auburn had no general fund or bond debt. The audit found no internal control financial weaknesses. 
• The council also reviewed a six-month 2011 budget report. All accounts are within budget. "I'm not concerned about how things are going, cause we're keeping and doing a very good job with keeping our expenditures down," said City Administrator Ron Griffith. 

The Auburn City Council will hold its next meeting at 7 p.m. June 2 at .