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regarding development. He stated that Olive has been stagnate for many years <br />and there is a need for a strong, viable and well-funded Chamber of Commerce to <br />reverse this economic limbo on the City’s main street. He stated that as a citizen, <br />local businessman, parent and visionary, he believed the City should invest in the <br />Chamber and expect a good return on that investment. Therefore he would <br />encourage Council to support this organization designed to cultivate business <br />development and economic growth in UCity. <br /> <br />Gregory Pace, 7171 Westmoreland <br />Mr. Pace urged Council to keep the $483,000 in the Economic Development Retail <br />Sales Tax fund, instead of using it to pave Parking Lot Number 4. He stated that <br />Council has already decreed that parking in this lot would be free, so he is at a loss <br />to understand why anyone would believe that a fancy parking lot could lead to <br />economic development. Mr. Pace stated that projects of this nature should come <br />out of the general fund and not the Economic Development Retail Sales Tax fund. <br /> <br />COUNCIL COMMENTS: <br />Mr. Price stated that he had several questions with respect to how this funding <br />would be used. He stated that he understood that Mr. Walker may not be able to <br />provide him with any answers at tonight’s meeting, but if his memory served him <br />right this issue had been resolved. He stated that the major contention <br />surrounding this Bill being able to move forward was the assurance that there <br />would be no imbalance of funds being siphoned to the Loop that left no monies for <br />Olive. Mr. Price then asked the following questions: <br />1. What percentage of the Chamber’s marketing projects would be used to <br />benefit businesses located in the northeast section of Olive all the way to the <br />city-limits? <br />2. What percentage of monies in the Economic fund will be used to promote <br />long-term economic development for businesses located in the northeast <br />section of Olive all the way to the city limits? <br /> <br />City Manager Walker informed Mr. Price that although he did not have the answers <br />to the questions at tonight’s meeting, he would be happy to provide them to him. <br /> <br />Mr. Price stated that he is very disturbed that there has been no major push for <br />funds for businesses in this area and no concentrated effort for change. Money <br />keeps getting siphoned off, but none of those funds are being allocated to that <br />section of Olive. He stated that he was aware that the City bought the land, but <br />now it was time to move forward and do something with it. In his opinion, the <br />charette that Council participated in only represented something that you might <br />hope to see done with the land, even though it may not be realistic. He stated that <br />what really mattered to him was what the City can really do, and he was not talking <br />about planting a tree. Mr. Price stated that what he was interested in was a project <br />that could be used to help fund the businesses located in the northeast section of <br />Olive. <br /> <br />Ms. Carr stated that she had been in charge of the 2009 petition drive for a State <br />audit of the Economic Development Retail Sales Tax fund. The issue that turned <br />her in that direction was the belief that there was excessive use of this fund by <br />12 <br /> <br /> <br />