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Regular City Council Meeting <br />Monday, Apri120, 2009 <br />Page 14 <br />c. Twin Lakes Budget Appropriation <br />Public Works Director Duane Schwartz provided an update to the City Council of <br />funding opportunities related to the redevelopment of the Twin Lakes area; with <br />staff continuing to seek out other funding opportunities for federal earmarks. Mr. <br />Schwartz advised that Congresswoman McCollum's staff was scheduled to hold a <br />meeting on April 27, 2009 at the Fairview Community Center to allow applicants <br />for federal appropriations to pitch their projects; and further advised that staff was <br />seeking City Council support to continue pursuing those funding opportunities for <br />the Twin Lakes area. Mr. Schwartz advised that staff would continue to keep the <br />City Council apprised throughout the process. <br />Discussion included types of funding available through grant and loan programs; <br />short deadlines for some applications for funding requests for 2010 federal ear- <br />marked monies; criteria for specific projects; and brief timelines for meeting no- <br />tice and funding availability. <br />Councilmember Ihlan expressed her concern in focusing on the Twin Lakes area <br />and funding for that area, when other areas of the City needing bicycle and/or pe- <br />destrian friendly transit improvements remained in need and didn't fit the City's <br />• goals. Councilmember Ihlan opined that the City should take the opportunity <br />with economic stimulus packages to seek funding for those other more vital and <br />desperately-needed projects, rather than focusing in infrastructure for car-oriented <br />uses, specifically for Twin Lakes Parkway, and in an area yet to be redeveloped. <br />Councilmember Ihlan further opined that further City Council discussion and pub- <br />lic comment was required before it was determined if this was the best application <br />for this type of funds. <br />Mr. Schwartz noted that proposed infrastructure funding included the entire Twin <br />Lakes project area, not just Twin Lakes Parkway, and also included potential <br />funding for right-of--way acquisition. <br />Mayor Klausing noted, as a point of information that the requested action was to <br />pursue federal and other funding opportunities that could include pedestrian and <br />bicycle pathways; and was simply to seek authorization and allow staff some <br />flexibility. <br />Councilmember Roe observed that costs identified by staff included other than <br />environmental costs for the Twin Lakes area, such as pathways and intersection <br />improvements along Fairview Avenue, sanitary sewer, water lines, storm sewer <br />treatment, and other infrastructure needs; and that those were not specifically and <br />only related to economic stimulus funds and their particular foci. Councilmember <br />Roe opined that there had been to-date no hesitancy on the part of the City Coun- <br />cil to consider the entire project and any pedestrian amenities along the entire <br />length of the project area. <br />