City Council Update

Hello All,

Well it’s time for another update. This one from the city council’s priority setting session and the February city council meeting.

At this years priority setting session we added Public Safety Work and Continued Support of Social Safety Networks. What this means in part is that we will add a focus to problem orientated policing, neighborhood patrols, substance abuse, homelessness and mental health issues. I was particularly pleased to see these issues supported by my fellow councilors.

For the full list of the 2016-2017 City Council Priorities you can go to:
http://www.concordnh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/77

At our most recent city council meeting the city administration came back to us with a number of more affordable options for a community center at the Dame School location on the Heights. I feel that a community center at this location is something I would like the city to go forward with. My concerns continue to be that the cost of construction and the operating expenses will not add an undue tax burden on our city’s property owners.

The preliminary costs for this project and the impact on property owners are very encouraging. There will be a public hearing for this project next month at our city council meeting.
Plans for the project can be found at:
http://www.concordnh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7556

You can voice your opinion on this project (and others) by testifying at the city council meeting, submitting written testimony to the city clerk or by contacting me.

Also on our agenda were two items that could potentially add to the cost of the Main Street Project. The first was an additional appropriation of $25,000 for Louis Karno & Company for continuing their work in promoting the Downtown during the construction project. The second item was for additional work north and south of the current project’s limits to extend the work from Storrs to Storrs Street. This - if accepted by the council - would have these sections repaved and relined.

While I voted against the Main Street Project, I did vote for the contract with Louis Karno & Company. I felt it made no sense to go forward with the reconstruction only to have a Main Street devoid of businesses at the end of the project. And I am not against an additional appropriation for continued Main Street promotions.

What I am concerned about is how we will pay for any cost overruns should they occur. I requested that the administration come back to the city council with a proposal that shows us how a Special Assessment District could pay for any additional costs that have not already been budgeted and approved by the council. While my motion did not pass, I am encouraged by the fact that a number of my fellow councilors have expressed interest in having this conversation in the future.

And at the end of our meeting the city manager asked if we would be open to a discussion on reconsidering burying the power lines on South Main Street in front of the Department of Employment Security Building next month. The city council approved $2.5 million for this project, but that money has been diverted from the burying of the power lines and is being used to pay for the Main Street project. It was determined that the Sears Block tif District would not be able to cover the debt payments of both the South end portion of the Main Street project and the cost of burying the power lines.

It is my understanding that the cost of burying the power line will be less than the $2.5 million figure the city was originally quoted if the lines are buried during the construction project. But I am still concerned about added costs and how they will be paid for. I will be asking the administration how they plan to pay for this. If for some reason they now feel the tif district has the capacity to pay for this project I am concerned that it will delay when new taxes from the tif district are available for city wide and school district services. And if it is to be paid for by a general fund bond I am concerned about how that will effect your property tax bill.

A reminder that we will be having our Ward 2 Neighborhood Meeting on Tuesday, February 23rd at the Newell Post Restaurant at 6pm.

As always please take the time to contact me with any concerns, thoughts or suggestions you may have. You can reach me at: allan4council@gmail.com or aherschlag@concordnh.gov or 224-6086.

I hope to see you all on the 23rd - Allan