August 18, 2009

City Notes: Web design to calm violence; Construction down in city; New contractor gets City Hall job; Stein sworn in

The Racine Interfaith Coalition hopes a program to teach young adults web design, photography and graphic design will reduce violence in the city.

RIC applied to the city to alter the use of $12,600 in Community Development Block Grant money it was awarded last December. The money is for RIC's "Violence No More" program, which is an effort to create a community-wide effort to curb violent crime.

The group writes in its proposal to the city:
"We cannot just demand the Police Chief to solve the problem-nor can we make the demand for the Mayor, Racine Unified School Board, Church leader, or the business community. Every one needs to share in the responsibility in the elimination of violence."
RIC's media-training classes for youths will be held at the Bray Center and the MLK Center. Here's the budget for RIC's proposed program, which was introduced at City Council Tuesday night.

The item was referred to the Community Development Committee.


Construction down in city

New construction was down 36 percent in July compared to a year earlier, according to the Building Department's Monthly Report.

The department reported $1,292,213 in new construction in the city last month, which amounted to $33,594 in building fees. Last year the city reported $2,031,415 in new construction and $46,258.60 in permit fees.

Comparing this year to last, you can see sizable declines in routine home maintenance. For example, $180,751 was spent on new roofs in July compared to $350,873 in July 2008. Spending on siding, air conditioning, heating and fences all dropped at least 20 percent over the past year.

That, in turn, led to a $12,664 decline in permit fees for July alone, which another drag on the city's budget.


New contractor awarded work on City Hall

The low-bidder on a contract for work on the exterior of City Hall has pulled out of the job.

Arnie Christiansen Mason Contractor, of Franksville, bid $116,053 for tuckpointing work on City Hall and was awarded the contract on July 7. But the company has since pulled out the job, leaving RAM Construction Services of MI as the lowest bidder at $171,526. RAM was awarded the job on Tuesday night.

It's the second contract for exterior work RAM has received this year. The company is completing a $69,325 city contract for tuckpointing work on Memorial Hall. That contract was awarded July 7.


Stein sworn in

Kelli Stein was sworn in Tuesday night as the newest member of the City Council. Stein will represent the 10th District, which was without an aldermen when Tom Friedel resigned to become city administrator. Stein was selected from eight candidates who applied to fill the seat until an election is held next April.

20 comments:

  1. Construction is down and unemployment is up in Racine and you have some city official idiots stopping projects from happening. What a way to care for the people of Racine!

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  2. The Phoenix program

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  3. I can definately picture this - gang bangers deferring their usual activity while surfing the calm sights on their blackberries and iPhones.

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  4. 12,600 seems a bit high for 30 kids, unless every kid doesn't get a t-shirt. That is over 400 per kid. Much of that money is technology. Are they going to continue to use the technology programs after this year with more kids?

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  5. RIC is just a left wing nucklehead group of people. Go sing at a murder site with your gay friend Tony and quit wasting grant money.

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  6. How was this grant $ going to be spent when it was issued in Dec ?Just $ left over and don't know how to spend it ? Too many blank lines on budget sheet ! $11625 for salaries & services ? What do the kids get besides a T shirt ??

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  7. Stein needs to update her photo. Was this from her 20's??????

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  8. So, lets' see, kids are going to be taught to create web design to keep them out of gangs(?). I would assume that the majority of this children will come from low-income families and will be expected to go home and use their computers with $30+ per month high-speed internet access to work on their projects. This doesn't sound quite right. I think we need a little more information here to be able to post well informed opinions here.

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  9. Hey anon 11:49. She is 31. Sorry she is too young for you.

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  10. Too young for who?? Becker??

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  11. 4:47 she is too old for Becker

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  12. I saw an item in the JT newspaper a week or so ago that, mentioned in passing, they were dropping the charges against Becker. Is there any truth to that?

    Pete, Dustin, have you heard anything about that?

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  13. That is not true - he's got a hearing on 8/27 and a trial on 10/13 unless it gets delayed again.

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  14. There is some talk about dropping the charges for the child porn found on his hard drive because the cops didn't get a warrant ahead of time. That is what the article was referencing.

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  15. 3:43 I agree and that is what the 8/27 hearing is going to cover.

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  16. Concerned Citizen8/21/2009 7:36 AM

    Unless of course they postpone the hearing AGAIN, with no cause or reason for doing so, JUST LIKE LAST TIME.

    I believe they postponed his hearing last time because of the Post's article on Becker and all the negativity brought by it. They wanted the dust to settle a little bit before going in, and now the dust has settled.

    Funny how they don't have to give a reason for postponing a hearing isn't it???

    Crooked judges and Govt.

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  17. People postpone stuff to stay out of the clink all the time.
    Its no new trademarked gary becker stay out of jail technique.

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  18. They postponed the hearing because the defense is questioning the legality of how the hard drive was ceased - they contend a search warrant should have been issued.

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  19. They questioned that from day one. What, every hearing will be postponed then????

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  20. Tony - bend over.

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