01/20/2009 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Regular Council Meeting Minutes 1-20-09 Page 5 ' Planning Development 1. Eric Jochum 2. Joe Prcela* 3. Jerry Catalano* 4. Jim Mason* 5. Shirley Shatten* 6. Wes Marotte* 7. Josh Klein* 8. Bob Haycox* 9. Zville Khoury Mayor Rinker stated that he has just a couple of observations as we get underway in 2009. He does not think it is lost on anyone that 2008 was a dramatic and somewhat traumatic year. We have not gone unscathed. In many respects, we do very well indeed compared to a lot of other communities. But he can tell you that for the last several months in the various departments, discussions we have had, we are kind of shoring up and batting down the hatches for 2009. We know that our revenues are going to drop off a little more this year. They did in the last third of last year. A year ago we were hopeful that Progressive would start Campus III. Not only have they not started Campus III, he is waiting with baited breath, tomorrow he will be meeting with a representative from Progressive who refuses to let him know good, bad or indifferent what Progressive is planning to do. The last time Mayor Rinker had a discussion with this gentleman was probably about 15 months ago on the eve of the layoff of about 300 employees from Progressive. Mayor Rinker does not want to sound too grim about it, but he thinks we have to be realistic. Times are changing. Times are tough in a lot of ways. The changes in the financial markets, those kinds of upheavals, have a long term effect. It's kind of like a big freight train that is coming to a halt and we are hearing that kind of ripple effect going down the line. We are very fortunate with the resources we have. Over the years we have tried to be pretty wise in the way in which we spend and the way in which we preserve. This will be no different. We are going to be doing much more of the same. We have extended a couple of our projects into 2010. We are undertaking less projects this year. We are still looking to construct a police station. We have the bond money for it, but we are totally revamping our approach to it because when we went out to bid last year after a lot of effort, we found out it is just too costly. We are coming back with what we hope is certainly a new and improved model. Mayor Rinker is still optimistic that that is a project that will get underway at some point this year. We are even looking at a different site. These are some of the things that between our departments and Council we are collectively reviewing. One of the things that Mayor Rinker thinks is very exciting are some of the changes that we are seeing in Beta, especially as we have become so accustomed to dealing with Progressive.