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REGULAR MEETING JUNE 13, 2011 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Councilmember Varner stated that at this afternoon’s committee meeting he made two <br />suggestions, one is that they look at infrastructure expenditure on a part of the city as <br />opposed to purchasing land. The second was that there was a premium involved in the <br />purchase of this and that the city is going to take upon itself it would take upon the <br />purchase of the building but not the premium. Councilmember Varner asked the Mayor, <br />if from his presentation tonight that he rejected both those suggestions. <br /> <br />Mayor Luecke stated that if Council would like to direct him in terms of expenditures of <br />the dollars that they are limited in terms of purchase of the building to the value of the <br />building itself but the remaining dollars could be used for additional infrastructure <br />support for instances parking lots or other things that could have public purposes as well <br />he would welcome and accept that direction from the Council. <br /> <br />Councilmember Varner stated that is why they should have had this discussion sooner <br />because it begs another question. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis asked Mayor Luecke to define what an investment means> <br /> <br />Mayor Luecke stated that an investment means putting our dollars into a project that will <br />have a positive return for the community. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis asked the Mayor what is the projection for return as it <br />relates to our community? <br /> <br />Mayor Luecke stated that there is not a dollar amount projection. The return on the <br />investment that they can quantify at this point is that they take a vacant piece of property <br />and have a new 35 million dollar school built on it. There will be public use at that <br />facility and school in return for the city’s investment. He stated that he anticipates and <br />does not quantify additional investment in the neighborhood and in the East Bank and <br />Downtown area that would follow this significant investment by the private section in our <br />community. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis asked who currently owns the lot. <br /> <br />Mayor Luecke asked for clarification which lot? <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis stated the former hospital site. <br /> <br />Mayor Luecke stated that St. Joseph High School is the current owner of the site. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis asked that if this project goes forward does the city have <br />the ability to make sure that they have local laborers working on this project. <br /> <br />Mayor Luecke advised that the members of St. Joseph High School would be able to <br />speak more to that of contract that have already been let there are local companies that <br />have hired for some of the initial work. He stated that the City has not made any <br />requirement of local hiring based on their 1 million dollar investment in the project. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis stated that he finds this situation odd that we are using <br />taxpayer dollars to purchase land to turn it over to a not-for-profit organization that <br />doesn’t pay any taxes locally. He stated that there are local contractors who need work <br />and for the most part don’t get the local jobs. He stated that he is concerned about using <br />the facility for public use because that doesn’t happen now at their current location and <br />without having something in writing now. He wanted to know what the City is going to <br />do to make sure that they are recapturing dollars here locally for jobs for people who live <br />here locally. He stated that the Council just put into place a minority contractor’s bill and <br />will it be used in this project. <br /> <br />Mayor Luecke stated that the bill was created to create a diversity board which still has <br />not be formulated which is to make recommendations to the city in terms of city contracts <br />and city purchases. <br /> 12 <br /> <br />