(Publisher’s note: an incorrect vote total has been corrected.)
The Chelsea City Council approved a $450,000 bond request resolution from the Chelsea Downtown Development Authority (DDA) by a 6-1 vote Monday night.
Council Member Jim Myles was the lone no vote. He said that although he supported the projects, he wanted to add a condition — that the DDA to change its meeting times from a morning meeting to an evening meeting so more residents could attend.
He said based on conversations he’s had with residents and the large number of people who attended a recent evening meeting of the two boards, he’d like the DDA to change its meetings to a weekday night.
The bond will be used for two projects.
The first project will include improvements to the alley off Jackson Street and to the Longworth property, which include demolition of the Livery building, placing area utilities underground, cleaning up and enhancing the alley beside the First Congregational Church. The project, which runs from East Middle Street to Jackson Street, will also include additional parking spaces.
This estimated $350,000 improvement project is ready to go to bid and the DDA hopes to get it started this spring in conjunction with the church, which also plans to make improvements to its building and property.
The second project is estimated to cost $50,000-$75,000 and includes adding stamped sidewalks at two of the city’s busiest downtown intersections — Main and Middle streets and Main, Park and South streets.
In addition, it will cost about $30,000 to issue the bonds.
Both projects are ready to go to bid and the DDA would like to get them started this spring.
The city will now issue a notice of intent for the bonds. City voters will then have 45 days to collect signatures of at least 10 percent of the registered voters for a referendum to put the question on a ballot for a vote.
If no referendum is filed, the bonds would be issued and paid for by DDA, which collects tax increment financing from the residents and businesses in the DDA district.
