Oral Resolution authorizing Amendment #3 contract with Jacob and Martin Ltd. for Engineering Services for Sewer Main Rehabilitation, CIP Project No. 8060-05-10.

Ordinance (First Reading) Appealed item : Z2010-09 a request from Sojourner Drilling Corporation to rezone property from GR (General Retail) to PD (Planned Development) zoning, located at 3366 Ambler Ave.: and setting a public hearing for August 12, 2010.
and,
Ordinance (First Reading) on a proposal to amend Section 3.1.1.1 ETJ Subdivision Provisions and Section 4.2.1.3 Off-Street Parking-minimum Requirements and Standards of Land Development Code: and setting a public hearing for August 12, 2010.

The Resolution concerning the Cedar Ridge Reservoir Permitting Project was pulled from the consent agenda with no explanation.

Mayor Norm Archibald and Councilman Robert Briley were out of town and the meeting was conducted by Mayor Pro Tem Anthony Williams

If you have an opinion or additional information the council should hear please let them hear from you.

Despite consistent polling showing jobs as the number one issue among voters, it is really only now, after finishing the 15 month effort to reform the health care system, that Congress is expected to focus almost exclusively on jobs and the economy.  

Theoretically, the more Congress adheres to a jobs agenda the greater the chances are that WIA reauthorization will get serious consideration. There are currently two jobs bills pending before Congress. The first bill, H.R. 4849, provides $16.8 billion for small businesses and state and local governments, and passed the House on March 24. The bill includes $2.5 billion for TANF emergency funding. The second jobs bill is the $140 billion package of tax extensions and safety net spending that passed the Senate on March 10. The House is likely to conference this bill with the Senate.  

From both bills and others being discussed, it is evident that there are clear differences in job creation approaches between the parties. Democrats place a priority on infrastructure spending as a way to produce jobs, while Republicans tend to favor tax policy specifically aimed to encourage small business job creation.  

The latest jobs bill to emerge in Congress is H.R. 4812 “The Local Jobs for America Act.” The bill, introduced on March 10 by Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA), currently has 105 cosponsors.

H.R. 4812 will provide $75 billion in funding to local communities largely in order to rehire workers or to keep from making employment cuts. The bill targets $500 million for on-the-job training under WIA; $23 billion to help states support 250,000 education jobs; $1.18 billion for 5,500 law enforcement officers; and $500 million to retain, rehire and hire firefighters

At this point the Senate has not introduced a companion bill to H.R. 4812. The bill faces continued spending concerns, especially among Blue Dog Democrats who expect Congressional spending to be paid for. It is likely that there will be a large push, through the press, to pass H.R. 4812. However, the outlook is no different than that of the other jobs bills we have seen come before Congress over the last several months. The key question (and stumbling block) remains, how are these programs paid for? 

NWA will keep its members informed as these and other jobs bills are considered in Congress.

The latest meeting of the City Planning and Zoning Commission included some interesting discussion concerning the new Land Development Code that will be presented soon to the City Council for approval.  The P&Z has one final special “called” meeting set for today. They plan to finish their work on revamping this document that Tim McClarty, the chairman, says is the “Road Map for the Future” of Abilene.  The City staff will then print all the changes and then the Council will adopt the new Code.  If you have any interest in seeing the plan I suggest you do so soon so your suggestions can be considered before it is finalized, or should I say set in stone.  If I can help you in any way please give me a call.

Dave Boyll

Executive Director

Abilene Association of Independent Business Owners

Also, on Monday I attended an interesting meeting sponsored by Tenaska.  You will hear much more from this company as they progress with their plans to build a coal fired power plant between Abilene and Sweetwater.   Business leaders from the Abilene area were invited to hear the company present their plans for the Tenaska Trailblazer Energy Center, as the plant will be called.  I found the proposed plant to be an interesting project with several new concepts that the Tenaska representatives claims will be a much more efficient and cleaner way to generate power for our part of the world.   The Center, quote, “will be among the most environmentally responsible coal-fueled power plants in the nation.” They also said that preliminary findings show that the project would provide a boost of more than $100 million to the Abilene economy during construction, and more than $1 million annually during each year of operation.  Tenaska is asking the City of Abilene to sell them municipal wastewater (affluent-not drinkable water)  to cool the plant and there will be a hearing on this at the City Council meeting on December 3rd at 8:30 a.m. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the project and give the City Council your perspective.

Then, on Thursday I attended the City Council meeting and heard the discussion of the Cedar Ridge Dam and Water Reservoir Project.  As you read in the news, the original site north of Abilene is not suitable for a dam because of the underlying gypsum rock.  The rock dissolves in water and would not hold water in the lake they hope to create.  The plan is now to move the dam a few miles south and proceed with the project.  The Mayor said he looks at this project as affecting his grandchildren (our grandchildren) because the process is a lengthy one and will take years to develop.  He hopes that later generations will look back and thank their predecessors for planning and developing a water source for them years from now.

There will be a public hearing in connection with the discussion of plans for the future of Abilene at the next Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.  To make it easier for citizens to attend, the meeting will be in the evening at 5:30 in the City Council chambers on November 16th.  The only item on the agenda for the evening will be the Land Development  Code “which will define development and the fabric of our town for the next 20 to 25 years”, said Tim McClarty, commission chairman.   I, as AAIBO Executive Director,  have heard the members of the commission say on several occasions that they want to hear what the public thinks about plans for the future.  The P & Z realizes that changes that are proposed by the city planners and their citizens committees will affect how the city will develop in the future.  As commissioner McClarty said, “It’s a very important document that tells us what our future’s going to look like and lays the groundwork for that, …it’s our road map for the future.”  He went on to say that the general public does not understand that.  So, here is your opportunity to tell the P & Z what you think.  Should you want information before the meeting you may contact the planning office at the city hall, 555 Walnut Street, or you might want to talk to the P & Z commissioners.  AAIBO members and guests will be able to hear Tim McClarty at our next monthly meeting at the Abilene Country Club at noon on Wednesday November 11th.  Make reservations by e-mail at AAIBO.com.  Please attend, tell your friends and business associates,  and bring your questions and comments with you because Tim wants to hear from you.  Proposed changes to the Land Development Code will affect you…that’s why you should care.

Dave Boyll

669-5554