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We had an interesting and informative Monona city council meeting, but no fireworks or controversy.
Chris James of Dane County Parks Department talked about the plan for the Capital Springs State Recreation Area located just south of Monona. Here's a map of the whole park.
The plan includes a new dog park just across Lake Farm Road from the Lake Farm County park and Lussier Heritage Center! The plan also includes a Lower Yahara River Bike Trail connecting Lake Farm County Park with the Village of McFarland and associated railroad trestle widening.
Dane County Supervisor Robin Schmidt spoke briefly on the RTA. She reported on a revised and reduced Radio Interoperability plan, which I really hope we aren't asked to see, review, and approve, pronto!
Robin has proposed an ordinance to more clearly define when a no wake declaration will be made on Lake Monona. Up until now, the decision has been by the squeaky wheel method. Robin advances rational thinking!
We had a lengthy report and discussion with City Engineer Rich Vela and BT Squared Civil & Environmental Engineering about the Belle Isle Road 2011 project planning. They have developed a concept design plan that will be presented to the Public Works Committee this Wednesday. Sounds like they have followed a good public input process and developed a workable plan. The big challenge is getting water off the road and into the lake and then keeping it that way.
There was some discussion about the long-planned dredging of the lagoons and how to use fill to address the persistent flooding in Oneida Park.
The council approved CDA recommendations for the “Renew Monona” Program Loans with some $35,000 in no-interest going to four homeowner renewal projects.
The council also approved the award of a contract for the demolition at 608 Clear Spring Court. This building is being razed because it is "dangerous, unsafe, unsanitary, and otherwise unfit for human habitation". Drive by and take a look. Yikes. (After I whined about not being informed of the project, I was informed that we had previously approved asbestos removal from the same structure. But having been born in Missouri - my parents didn't trust the hospital in my smallish hometown in Southern Illinois - I'll have to see that to believe it.).
No action was taken and only brief discussion had on the proposed RTA referendum. Alder Kugle read a long list of other Dane County communities who have placed it on the ballot....the results of which will tell us pretty much nothing! I'll beat that dead horse senseless in a future posting.
Mayor Kahl announced that Meriter now plans to construct a 57,000 square foot building rather than the 43,000 sq. ft. they originally planned. (By the way, the council did approve that agreement on August 16, which I think I somehow forgot to blog. Well, you get what you pay for.).
Earlier in the evening, the Finance and Personnel Committee approved a $7500 Facade Improvement grant to Taco Johns and some $3000 to the Village Pedaler. Details are here.
Monday, August 30, 2010
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"Facade Improvement grant "
ReplyDelete"Renew Monona” Program Loans with some $35,000 in no-interest going to four homeowner renewal projects. "
Businesses are getting grants for "facades" and homeowners are getting loans. I know you have to pick your battles and you can't fight everything, but this bothers me and I am sure that fighten' Bob would not like it either.
35k for four projects? Is this a pilot program? If not, isn't it a little like spitting in the ocean?
ReplyDeleteMy friend just closed on a house in Madison. She got $40k from the city of Madison that she doesn't have to pay back until she sells the house. Half of it was for the down payment and the other half must be used to improve the dwelling. It was a modest little house - in the 150k range. She had to qualify based on her income. She had no trouble getting a traditional mortgage through a local bank (her credit is very good). She would have loved to live in Monona but there was no way on her income without this type of assistance. Has any Monona staff investigated these incentives Madison offers and how they are funded? I think we shouldn't say we can't do something more substantial in Monona until some of these options have been explored.
"35k for four projects? Is this a pilot program? If not, isn't it a little like spitting in the ocean?"
ReplyDeleteUhhh, should I say I'm sorry?? Sheesh.
We are using a new state law that allows limited use of TIF funds for housing. We had expected more like $125,000-ish, but $35,000 is all that we could use. We expect another $45,000 in December.
Do you know the name of the Madison program?
Nobody said you should be sorry. Simmer down, Doug. It's just that size of this program will have no power to draw people to Monona and worse, Monona sellers are competing with Madison sellers who have potential buyers with access to these programs. This isn't going to help home values in Monona - especially for the more modest starter homes of which we have an abundant supply.
ReplyDeleteSee http://www.homebuyersroundtable.org/buying/dpa-madison.html for details on the programs Madison has. Plus, I don't understand why a Monona alder would need to get this info from a poster on a blog. Shouldn't our city staff be well aware of what Madison has to offer and have already checked into the possiblity of Monona being able to participate in these programs? Maybe they have. I don't know.
I had one thing wrong about my friend - she does have to pay it back while she owns the home although the terms are very easy. If she sells the house, it has to be paid in full which makes sense.
No, you should not say-I am sorry-but the irony is thick when we give businesses GRANTS.
ReplyDeleteDifferent Poster
Simmer down? Bah, fah, pfah!
ReplyDeleteSo, the comment wasn't critical? Yes, of course it was. It struck me as an example of "the perfect being the enemy of the good". The council implemented what I think is a good program (the facade grant). We implemented another good program in the housing loans. Not perfect, not totally consistent perhaps, but I'll take 'good'.
Anyway, thanks for the link, I forwarded your earlier inquiry and will forward the link to staff. I dont know if we have the resources to do those programs, but we can take a look at them.
"Plus, I don't understand why a Monona alder would need to get this info from a poster on a blog. Shouldn't our city staff be well aware of what Madison has to offer and have already checked into the possiblity of Monona being able to participate in these programs?"
We run the city with thin staffing, which is not my preference, especially in administration. Second, there is so much information out there about so many programs, that no, I would not assume the Monona staff should know about all of the stuff Madison does. Our staff has been kpet very busy with some exceptional projects on top of normal stuff (e.g., Monona Drive, various development projects, large energy grants to name three).
(I don't think irony is the right word. You perceive inconsistency, but that's not irony. This is, hoever, quibbling on my part.)
Why grants for businesses and loans for residents? You could make them both the same - loans. And actually Alder Wiswell would like to see them both as loans. He also opposed having the homeowner loans be "no interest".
The facade program is intended to be a one-time program. The homeowner loans are intended to be ongoing. The repaid loans will recycle into the program to be loaned to others.
As for the size of the program, we are putting $80,000 into the homeowner loans. Given our relative populations, Madison's program would need to be $2.36M to be equivalent to Monona's program. I don't know how big it is and don't see it right off the bat.
Bear in mind that Monona doesn't have a "Community Development Office". These programs basically came into being due to the efforts of former CDA chair Cari Fuss and Mayor Kahl.
....I see the Madison program is funded by HUD.
Sheesh Doug, is public service really worth this hassle?
ReplyDelete"Sheesh Doug, is public service really worth this hassle?"
ReplyDeletePublic service? I was doing it for the six-figure bonus payout I heard about. I don't get that???
The six-figures are in binary. The bonus is $00100000 which is $32. Don't spend it all at once.
ReplyDelete