Board hears departmental updates: grant liens, redevelopment software pilot and potential drone donation

During department reports at the Feb. 18 meeting, staff provided several informational updates.

Krista told the board the first round of owner-occupied rehabilitation grant recipients are complete and that lien language — liens to remain for a one-year period so recipients need not repay the grant — has been prepared and reviewed by the city attorney and is ready for signatures. City Attorney Lynn Gray confirmed two previously disputed paragraphs were removed following an Oct. 6 review and that the documents were otherwise approved subject to those attorney edits.

Krista also said the Redevelopment Commission has approved funding for a pilot of new economic-development software from Stone Municipal Group to evaluate tax abatements, incentives and project return on investment. “We did talk to him today about even the potential to evaluate new housing developments, mixed use developments as far as return on investment, and cost to the city,” Krista said. Staff will develop criteria and run prior projects through the tool before wider reporting to the EDC, RDC and City Council.

The police chief (name not specified) said staff met recently with a local drone-services vendor considering a substantial donation of equipment to the police department; another meeting is planned to review the details before acceptance.

These items were presented as informational; no board action was required beyond authorization to sign documents cleared by the attorney. The meeting adjourned after reports.