Reichert pushes for outside organization to identify blight projects
The latest Macon-Bibb County blight proposal could have a regional organization recommend a list of projects.
Mayor Robert Reichert is sponsoring a resolution that would have the Middle Georgia Regional Commission use data models to identify various blighted properties for redevelopment. The County Commission’s Economic and Community Development Committee will decide Tuesday if the resolution will go before the full board Sept. 1.
The resolution says the Regional Commission would incorporate a blight plan into an updated Urban Redevelopment Plan that would be adopted by commissioners.
“The commission will be able to select which projects to budget funds for on a priority basis based upon the availability of funding and expected benefits of each project as a community as a whole,” the resolution says.
The debate in Macon-Bibb over how to use $10 million in blight bonds has been ongoing for months. The commission voted in July to give the nine commissioners $1 million apiece for blight projects instead of Reichert’s proposal of spending the money on four specific projects.
The remaining $1 million will be spent on waste disposal and community engagement.
Commissioner Elaine Lucas, vice chairwoman of the Economic and Community Development Committee, said Monday she supports receiving more data on blight. However, it should be left up to the blight committee and commissioners to identify the projects.
“It’s the mayor’s attempt to get his way when he could not force commissioners to turn over all the money and have him designate the blight projects,” she said.
Macon-Bibb spokesman Chris Floore said the mayor’s administration is taking its direction from commissioners on how the $10 million in blight money is spent.
The update plan is looking at the issue in a long-term fashion.
“In the future if anyone would like to put money into a project, they would already have areas identified,” Floore said. “We’re not trying to go after the $10 million.”
Also, on Tuesday the commission’s Operations and Finance Committee will decide whether to send a resolution to full commission allowing $450,000 of the $9 million to be set aside for demolishing properties. Each commissioner would provide $50,000 of their $1 million in blight funds to use on projects in their district, according to a resolution from an ad hoc blight committee.
Commissioners would be able to begin the process of tearing down structures while the blight committee hires a consultant.
Commissioner Virgil Watkins said he’s OK with spending a year or longer to identify certain economic development projects, but he’s ready to begin tearing down houses in his district.
“We’re spending a lot of time trying to figure out the economic benefits, which is great, but for me I’m very interested in removing unsafe structures at this time,” he said. “I do think the commissioners will need some help on pinning (larger projects down) and getting the specifics. As it relates to demolishing, I think that’s very clear-cut.”
FIRE AND POLICE BENEFITS
The commission’s Operations and Finance Committee will revisit Tuesday a request for beneficiaries of the Macon Fire and Police Retirement System to get a $100 per month raise.
The ordinance proposed by Commissioner Mallory Jones would increase monthly supplemental benefits from $100 to $200 for 301 members of the retirement system. The issue was moved from an Aug. 11 committee meeting to Tuesday’s agenda after some commissioners said they wanted more time to review its impact.
Jones described the impact on the pension system as “small potatoes,” with it costing about $361,000 a year. It’s money those employees put into the retirement system, he said.
The increase would be for employees who were hired prior to July 1, 1985, and have at least 25 years of service.
“If we have a strong financial consultant group in place, then the pension fund would fund itself,” Jones said this month. “It’s the right thing to do for people who served the community.”
To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623.
This story was originally published August 24, 2015 at 10:14 PM with the headline "Reichert pushes for outside organization to identify blight projects ."