ICON Members and Participants:
Our February meeting will be next Monday (2/27), 7 p.m., at the First Church of the Brethren, Yale and Ash. Mark Mahoney will be our guest. He will bring us up to date on early results of the new ordinance regarding boarded property. He will also identify the city’s priorities for infrastructure projects included in his proposed budget for Public Works. If approved, it would double last year’s budget.
Following our meeting last month, members of the ICON Steering Committee hosted a bus tour around the city for three members of SDAT. These three are part of a larger team that will be surveying the downtown area later in May. They were here to get an overview of Springfield in an effort to find ways to get more people to work, live, and play in the inner core of the City. The surrounding neighborhoods, most of whom are active members of ICON, will be included in the final study.
The full team of 8 to 10 professional people from around the country will return May 7-9 for three days of meetings and analysis. ICON has been asked to arrange another bus tour for the entire group. Individually, we should all keep those dates open to participate in a series of group sessions and public hearings. More information will be forthcoming!
Just a reminder that Thursday is the last scheduled hearing on the 2013 budget. It should provide a great deal of insight as to how each aldermen will try to balance the cost of basic services with jobs for public employees.
Look forward to seeing you next week.
Steve
494 6668