CDBG recipients narrowed down

Some progress was made toward paring Marietta's 2010 Community Development Block Grant budget down to size during Tuesday's meeting of city council's finance committee.

"There are still a lot of great projects here, but we can't fund them all," Mike Stocky, city development director, told the committee members.

He said if the committee wanted to evenly fund projects in each of the city's four ward areas out of available CDBG monies, the group should be considering about $60,000 for each district.

At the beginning of the budget session Stocky noted that requested project funding totaled $111,500 for the Central business district; $209,828 in the Harmar district; $117,000 for the Norwood area; and $59,000 in the Indian Acres Park district.

"I need some of this stuff to come off the budget spreadsheet before we can move ahead," Stocky said.

Councilman Tom Vukovic, D-4th Ward, said CDBG funding requests from Washington/Morgan Community Action Bus Lines, the Colony Theatre restoration project, and ReStore Marietta should be settled first.

"We need to consider those projects first in order to see what we'll have left to work with," Vukovic said.

Earlier in the meeting representatives from all three entities had presented background information on their requests to help the committee in its project funding decisions.

"I don't think we can afford $60,000 requested for the Community Action Bus Lines," said Councilman Andy Thompson, R-at large, chairman of the finance committee.

Stocky said the CABL program received $40,000 in 2005 from CDBG, and in 2008 the bus system was funded at $55,000.

Thompson suggested dropping the 2010 allotment back to $40,000.

"Then (Community Action) would have to look at more efficient ways to operate the system," said Councilman Jon Grimm, R-3rd Ward.

"My problem isn't funding the bus system, it's having it operated more efficiently," he added.

The members finally agreed to fund CABL at $44,000 in 2010.

As for the $70,000 request for the Colony Theatre, and the $30,000 ReStore Marietta funding request, Councilman Randy Wilson, R-2nd Ward, recommended cutting those amounts to $20,000 for ReStore and $30,000 for the Colony project.

Councilman David White, R-1st Ward, reduced the amount he had requested for the Norwood district from $30,000 to $20,000 for sidewalk improvements, and from $75,000 to $40,000 for the third phase of the city's River Trail project.

In the Harmar district, Vukovic gave up a total of $50,600 in requested funding for restroom renovation, a water fountain, security cameras, and basketball court lights at Flanders Field.

He also agreed to reduce some requested funding for decorative street lights on Franklin and Market streets, but asked Stocky to do what he could to at least fund some street lights in that area if possible.