The hot-topic from Monday night’s Adrian City Commission meeting happened during the pre meeting study session… and revolved around the relationship between the Downtown Development Authority, the City Commission… and $12,000.
Over $40,000 in private funds were raised to upgrade an alleyway downtown to honor Joe Ann Steele. That group went to the Adrian Downtown Development Authority and asked for lighting upgrades, and is now before the City Commission asking for concrete work to be done to the alley on North Main Street.
The bulk of the debate was not centered around the recognition of Joe Ann Steele… or the project itself… but who should be paying for the $12,000 concrete upgrades.
Adrian Mayor Chuck Jacobson thought that this project should be a collaborative effort…
Commissioner Brad Watson gave his thoughts to WLEN News…
Some Commissioners felt that the concrete in the alley does not need to be replaced; and there are no scheduled plans to update that alley. It has been said in prior meetings that most alleyways downtown have been upgraded alongside paving projects in nearby parking lots, similar to the parking lot on Winter Street and the alleyway between that parking lot and Main Street. The parking lot adjacent to the space in question was repaved earlier this summer.
The Commission, last year, took on the entire salary and benefits of Economic Development Coordinator Chris Miller with hopes of freeing-up money for the DDA to do projects. Prior to that change, the DDA was responsible for roughly 50% of his salary.
A video recording of the pre meeting is available below:
https://www.facebook.com/wlen1039/videos/479089682672599/
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