Main Street Project: A Done Deal

From the minutes of the July 11, 2011, City Council meeting during discussion to accept the report:

“Mayor Bouley clarified that if the Council votes in favor of the motion, they will just be accepting the report and the public would have the opportunity to comment on these items in the future.” 

Twice more councilors asked if any further action or expenditures would occur and twice more the mayor responded that without public input the project would not move forward and no funds would be spent.

Does the reporting in the June 21, Concord Monitor, that the mayor is putting together a task force, indicate a change in his thought process regarding this project? The question on the table now is, How we move forward? But shouldn’t it be, Should we move forward? And shouldn’t that include public input as promised by the mayor?

Here’s what the TIGER grant submitted by the city states:

“If awarded a TIGER 2012 grant, this project will schedule the obligation of grant funds for final design and permitting no later than July 2012, with obligation of grant funds for construction no later than April 1, 2013.”

Here’s another gem from the grant:

“The “Rethinking Main Street “ project was accepted by the City Council at a public hearing in July, 2011, which included the community consensus design, and placed it in the out year of the City’s 10 year Capitol Improvement Program.....”

 And yet another:

“The Concord Downtown Complete Street Improvement Project is ready to proceed immediately to final design and construction...”

Let’s move on and look at how the city represents the project will be funded:

“The City of Concord NH, requests $4,710,000 in TIGER 2012 Grant Discretionary Funds to construct the Concord Downtown Complete Streets Improvement Project. This amount represents 60% of the total estimated project costs of $7,850,000. The remaining $3,140,000 balance would be from general obligation bonds and transportation impact fee funds appropriated by the City of Concord (currently approved and programmed in the City’s FY2016, FY2017, and FY2018 CIP program) and partnership sources including a Main Street Tax Increment (TIF) Betterment District.”

And:

“The City of Concord is committed to maintaining targeted funding sources, including annual maintenance and operation funds, and major capitol projects for its upkeep.”

That sounds a lot different than the rosy picture the mayor represents as stated in today's Monitor that 20 percent of the projects costs will come from private donations. That’s $1.57 million folks. And that’s different than what is stated in the TIGER grant application, where that final 20 percent is listed as, “Private Downtown Partners: Remaining project funds from TIF District.”

And let’s not forget the other 20 percent the city will fund with general obligation bonds and impact fees.

Wow, that’s a lot to digest at one sitting. Someone pass the Tums. This is what I think it all means: This is a done deal. This project will move forward. You and I are going to pay for it. And in addition to general obligation bonds, the city is going to expand the Downtown Tax Increment Finance District to include all of our Downtown’s Main Street. 

Assurances from the mayor and the Concord City Council that nothing happens until there is a full discussion with the community appear meaningless at this time. Here’s why. As I was informed, if the project is delayed, the city would need a waiver from the Feds. Maybe yes, maybe no. If the city tables or turns down this project it will be a long time before the Feds would consider approving another grant for our fair city. 

That bounce in your step as you stroll down the new and improved Main Street is thanks to the city once again lightening your wallet. So get out of the way. Full steam ahead. You know, they know what’s best for us.