Council to discuss downtown project bid
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on October 10, 2011 1:46 PM
City Council is expected to reconvene its recessed Oct. 3 meeting today to discuss the future of the Center Street streetscape project.
A recommendation to reject the bids received for the project, alter the project to reduce the price and then put the project out again for bidding will be discussed, although Mayor Pro tem Chuck Allen said the council needs to determine whether the project is truly a priority for downtown development.
City Manager Scott Stevens cautioned the council members that it is unlikely that the price for the project would come down enough to avoid having to borrow money to pay for it. That led to the item being removed from the consent agenda for an individual vote before Allen's comments suggested a separate meeting to discuss the project's future may be warranted.
Along with the project, Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. Director Julie Thompson will speak about a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant for which the DGDC has already preapplied. Ms. Thompson spoke at the Oct. 3 meeting of submitting the Union Station and Center Street projects separately for the 20 percent match grant.
The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers in Historic City Hall at 214 N. Center St.