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The Blue Springs City Council may call a special meeting on March 22 to discuss and possibly pass legislation regarding the Adams Dairy Landing project.
And that concerns Council Member Sheila Solon.
Solon, acting as mayor pro-tem for an absent Carson Ross, said Monday it troubled her that the City Council may be planning to discuss and possibly pass the legislation, which addresses how the city plans to issue and back on its credit rating approximately $17 million in bonds for the retail project.
“It should be done during a regular meeting,” Solon said, adding that only 24 hours notice is needed for a special meeting.
Both Solon and Council Member Ron Fowler agreed that the public should be able to attend a public hearing where they could make comments.
Solon has been critical of the city’s decision to back bonds for the project. The first time the city issued and backed bonds was last year, and only Solon and Fowler voted against it, calling it a “bailout.”
On Monday, Solon asked council members their thoughts on the matter.
“We’ve already discussed this issue,” Council Member Lyle Shaver offered, while Council Member Sissy Reed said she saw no issue with it.
“(The public and the press) are invited to attend,” Reed said. “I see no problem at all.”
Bob McDonald, the city’s attorney, said general discussion among City Council Monday night may even be a state violation because the issue wasn’t listed on the agenda.
McDonald said the meeting would be open to the public as well as to members of the press.
Following the meeting, Todd Pelham, assistant city administrator, said the special meeting may or may not happen.
“There’s concern from RED, the developer, about being able to get one of the contractors out on site to get work done,” Pelham said. “It’s a time constraint issue.”
The bond amount – $17 million – may also be changed, Pelham said, but it’s unclear by how much or how little. Changes may also be made to the tax increment financing agreement, though it is unclear what would change.
The Blue Springs City Council may call a special meeting on March 22 to discuss and possibly pass legislation regarding the Adams Dairy Landing project.
And that concerns Council Member Sheila Solon.
Solon, acting as mayor pro-tem for an absent Carson Ross, said Monday it troubled her that the City Council may be planning to discuss and possibly pass the legislation, which addresses how the city plans to issue and back on its credit rating approximately $17 million in bonds for the retail project.
“It should be done during a regular meeting,” Solon said, adding that only 24 hours notice is needed for a special meeting.
Both Solon and Council Member Ron Fowler agreed that the public should be able to attend a public hearing where they could make comments.
Solon has been critical of the city’s decision to back bonds for the project. The first time the city issued and backed bonds was last year, and only Solon and Fowler voted against it, calling it a “bailout.”
On Monday, Solon asked council members their thoughts on the matter.
“We’ve already discussed this issue,” Council Member Lyle Shaver offered, while Council Member Sissy Reed said she saw no issue with it.
“(The public and the press) are invited to attend,” Reed said. “I see no problem at all.”
Bob McDonald, the city’s attorney, said general discussion among City Council Monday night may even be a state violation because the issue wasn’t listed on the agenda.
McDonald said the meeting would be open to the public as well as to members of the press.
Following the meeting, Todd Pelham, assistant city administrator, said the special meeting may or may not happen.
“There’s concern from RED, the developer, about being able to get one of the contractors out on site to get work done,” Pelham said. “It’s a time constraint issue.”
The bond amount – $17 million – may also be changed, Pelham said, but it’s unclear by how much or how little. Changes may also be made to the tax increment financing agreement, though it is unclear what would change.
