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Council approves $209,000 downtown master plan study; funding source and timing draw questions
Summary
The council authorized the city manager to execute a contract with Shook Kelly for a downtown master plan study priced at $209,000 and approved the related budget ordinance. Council debate focused on whether assigned downtown funds (partly ARPA replacement money) were the right use amid recent property tax changes.
The Monroe City Council authorized the city manager to execute a contract with Shook Kelly for a downtown master plan study and approved a budget ordinance to fund the work, with an estimated contract cost of $209,000.
Assistant City Manager Jeff Wells said the plan will be a comprehensive update—covering transportation, land use and design—and will include community engagement. He noted the last downtown master plan update was in 2008 and that the selected firm responded to an RFQ process in which 11 firms applied and five were interviewed. Wells said Shook Kelly’s proposed scope, which includes examining nearby corridors such as Skyway Drive and the Five Points area, is included in the $209,000 price.
During discussion several council members questioned the timing and source of money for the study. Wells said funding would come from an assigned downtown fund balance, which he said currently holds approximately $1,369,000. Council members raised concerns about recent property tax increases and whether those assigned funds (which include earlier ARPA replacement allocations) might be better used for immediate needs such as roads or other essentials.
“One of the reasons I pulled item 9 was I’m concerned we raised the property tax and I’m concerned this Cadillac plan will cost $209,000 at this moment,” a council member said. Mayor Pro Tem Anthony and other council members explained that some downtown dollars were originally set aside years earlier and that parts of the assigned fund had been used for parking lot projects; Wells said some ARPA replacement funds or parking reservations could be swapped to cover the study if council preferred.
Wells said the project was recommended by the downtown advisory board and the general services committee after a competitive selection and that the study will be heavily oriented toward public engagement and positioning the city to pursue future transportation and grant opportunities.
Following discussion the council moved, seconded and approved the contract authorization and budget ordinance by voice vote.
