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City Council Regular Meeting - 08/09/04 <br />Minutes -Page 17 <br />Mayor Klausing noted that in order to achieve the housing <br />component and to remediate blighted properties, other less- <br />desirable components needed to be included in the <br />proposal. Mayor Klausing noted that he had initially <br />expressed opposition to the original proposal. <br />Councilmember Maschka opined that there was no nexus <br />between this project and our current budget issue, and <br />compared the synergy potential in this proposed <br />redevelopment with that of the Mall of America and <br />Southdale Center, as well as numerous other scenarios <br />within the metropolitan area. Councilmember Maschka <br />further opined that, in his attempt to place the responsibility <br />on the project and the developer, if the developer didn't <br />accomplish their part of the task, they didn't receive public <br />funds . <br />Councilmember Ihlan continued her opposing opinion to <br />the project related to the expense to-date on consultants and <br />studies, as well as staff and Council time and energy; <br />increased traffic costs and infrastructure impacts; current <br />TIF Policy and definition of public need; and her <br />preference for a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. <br />Further discussion included historical perspectives of the <br />process and proposed project to-date; ownership or control <br />of properties in the redevelopment area; use of the City's <br />contingency fund for providing funding for the project to- <br />date; <br />Councilmember Schroeder opined that the cost of the study <br />for the plan was miniscule compared to the overall concept <br />of the project's potential and that the process was now <br />starting to work. Councilmember Schroeder further opined <br />his concurrence with Councilmember Maschka's final <br />written comment on the overall design of the project; and <br />opined his support of improving the aesthetics of the <br />community in that area by using this project to get the <br />pollution and blight in the area cleaned up; but expressed <br />caution in reducing the contingency fund. Councilmember <br />Schroeder further concurred with careful consideration in <br />