Greensboro has ready list of stimulus projects
In anticipation of future federal funds for infrastructure, Greensboro is getting together the list of projects that could use the cash.
The city staff compiled this $259 million list of potential projects. The wish list includes big ticket items like the Townsend Dam upgrade and renovation projects such as the War Memorial Stadium.
Next month, the City Council will go through and set some priorities.
Is your favorite project on the list? What should make it to the top of this heap, should federal dollars come down the pike?
Comments (4)
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This list looks like some greedy little kid's wish list for Santa. Uncle Sam is not Santa. Voters and taxpayers in other cities and states would be justified in calling most of these projects pork barrel spending.
Things like maintenance and roof replacements should be planned and budgeted for at the local level.
I hope the city will focus on strategic projects that will help move the city forward into the future rather than just continuing our same old ways. Where are the projects that will reduce future operating costs through energy conservation? Where are the projects that will start to lead us into new transportation modes and patterns that will reduce our dependence on (foreign) oil?
Read Thomas Friedman's column today. We are getting ready to double down on the same old patterns that have led us to the sorry state we are in today. This list represents a failure of imagination.
Posted on December 25, 2008 8:58 AM
About one of these projects -- Has anyone at the N&R kept a time line and/or expense report on how much public money has been spent on consultants, city staff, "non-profit" groups, and private citizen studies about what do to about War Memorial Stadium?
Also, how much has really been done and how much has been spent to keep the promise made by the city council that Greensboro City Government will maintain the old historic stadium?
Posted on December 27, 2008 12:27 PM
Hi Dianne,
A lot of the work on War Memorial Stadium predates me as a reporter. I can tell you they have paid for engineers to look at it in, I believe, 2003, followed by another structural look in 2008. The neighborhood association also paid for a design plan that included the stadium. I could not quote you a total cost right off the top of my head.
In terms of how much has really been done...the Council last year committed $1.5 million to some preservation work. I think about $300K has been spent so far. But the engineers say they will be hard pressed to restore or even maintain the stadium with that amount of money.
Posted on December 29, 2008 4:02 PM
Thanks Amanda,
I don't think anyone could quote an actual total amount from memory, but lots has been wasted.
Maybe I should ask the city council how much public money has been spent on studies and how much has been spent to actually keep the structure from crumbling.
I think the council plans another study by another "outside consultant."
Do you know anything about that?
Posted on December 29, 2008 6:47 PM