Should Centerville Spend $800,000 On a Vision? D. Love Thinks Maybe Not!

City turns attention to storm water drainage.

With spring thaw months away, the City Council mulled over a project designed to disperse storm water at the Feb. 10 regular meeting and work session.
The time to get moving on the project is now, City Engineer Mark Statz said.
A new pond south of Laurie LaMotte Park would receive water from the east and from the new downtown development, according to Statz. Water that would normally drain into Centerville Lake would drain into the new pond, helping the city meet Rice Creek Watershed District requirements for runoff water volume control. The water that runs into the new pond would provide irrigation for ball fields at Laurie LaMotte Park.
The system, which Statz called “very green”, has already received approximately $300,000 in grant funding and is expected to cost approximately $1.1 million. He asked council members whether they were ready to commit the remaining $800,000 to move the project forward.
Mayor Mary Capra and City Administrator Dallas Larson were worried that delays may cause the city to lose the grant funding. “We have a nucleus for a good project; let’s see if agencies will let us downsize,” Larson said. “This gives basis for something that would be good for downtown – it would be a shame to throw away those dollars.”
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02/10/2010
Council discussed the status of the new trail project. Glaser said that two property acquisitions remain unresolved with the city expected to achieve acquisition by March 1.
Statz said that plans and specifications are ready, the bidding process will soon start and that construction will start in 2010. Statz said that grant monies of $791,280 might be available to the city in 2010, rather than 2012. Capra recommended that Statz attend a Parks and Recreation Committee meeting to receive requests and suggestions. Larson said that city staff would prepare a budget and other items for council to start taking official action at an upcoming meeting. The project is estimated to cost $1.2 million.
Unresolved property acquisitions mean pending litigation and hourly fees paid to the City Attorney No mention of Centerville's obligation for the trail grant. See above Pond Grant.
Exit question, what will Statz charge the City for sitting in on the Parks and Rec. meeting?