Because he did tell me this. Period. It came up at this meeting, and for all I know, others may have heard him say it, too.
The city council knows it. Will it have enough cojones to say so?
New Albany Farmers Market project not high on priority list, by Daniel Suddeath (N and T)
Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 8:15 am
NEW ALBANY — Plans to expand the downtown New Albany Farmers Market are on the back burner, though city officials said they remain open to improving the existing facility in less expensive ways ...
... David Duggins, director of economic development and redevelopment for the city, said the $270,000 budgeted for the expansion this year hasn’t been spent. But the price tag for what had been proposed led to sticker shock among many officials.
“We’ve had some discussions on it, but the bids came back so high,” Duggins said ...
... A committee consisting of council members Diane McCartin-Benedetti, Scott Blair, Shirley Baird and Gonder met once this year after the initial project was delayed. Benedetti said council members generally expressed that they wanted to wait until after planner Jeff Speck completes his New Albany street study to move forward with any project regarding the farmers market.
Suddenly, with one day remaining in 2914, and with the Speck study nowhere in sight, City Hall simply had to push forward with the farmers market project, which will tie up some of downtown's most valuable future infill property to send money out of town to rural vendors, and not only that, the long-discussed dog park will be located so far out out of the city that its incorporation into any urban walkability plan is impossible, and it's prime usefulness will be to suburbanites and county dwellers.
As if we don't have numerous useful parcels for it near the urban core. Is this how you pander to Mark Seabrook, Mr. Mayor?
Note that none of these projects have been the recipient of public input to any degree whatever, and understand that the rule of the C and D students has reached its apogee.
Dog Park, farmers market overhaul on tap in New Albany (Suddeath)
NEW ALBANY — Mayor Jeff Gahan’s administration believes farmers and canines won’t be the only ones to benefit from two substantial projects set to begin in the next few months.
Bids for a revamp of the downtown Farmers Market as well the construction of a dog park at Cannon Acres along Budd Road were approved by the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety on Tuesday.
At a cost of $238,700, the New Albany firm Upton Pry submitted the low bid for the farmers market project, which has been dubbed as a “city square” improvement by the administration.
David Duggins, director of economic development and redevelopment for the city, said the project will include a resurfacing of the parking lot, the addition of a second pavilion and a canopy to form a U-shaped structure ...
... The project was put on hold earlier this year after a low bid for the work was submitted at $319,000. The council had only reserved $270,000 in Economic Development Income Tax funds for the work. After review, the administration elected to remove some components of the work. By eliminating the additional storage and bathrooms called for in the initial plans, Duggins said the city was able to curb some of the costs of the project.
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