A procedural note about Wednesday's Redevelopment Authority meeting ...
The seven-member RDA has final say over whether to give Tom Tousis an option to the develop the 1.5-acre lot at the corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard. Unlike City Council committees, which make recommendations to the full council, the RDA is a stand-alone entity because it is the legal owner of the land.
That means any developer who wants to build on authority-owned land needs approval from the RDA to proceed. In Tousis's case, he needs the RDA to grant him an option on the site before the City Council will consider his project. In other words, Wednesday's meeting is a critical vote for the controversial West Racine project and, in theory, the RDA could stop the proposal before its reviewed by the City Council.
One member of the RDA is elected. Alderman Jim Spangenberg represents the City Council on the authority. The other members are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council to five-year terms.
Members include: Spangenberg, Pete Karas, Scott Terry, David Lange, John Crimmings, Cory Mason and Robert Ledvina. The City Development department staffs the RDA.
The RDA used to have two aldermen. That requirement changed after Karas resigned his seat and the council voted to reduce the required number of aldermen on the RDA from two to one.
They got rid of one of the elected members? One of two who are accountable to the voters?
ReplyDeleteWhy is everything in this city done in secret and behind close doors.
Because that's Racine. Full of shady deals and good old boys
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of BS. A few guys are against something, so they railroad a local businessman from exercising his rights. Local government is a bunch of retards. Pretty soon there will be tumbleweeds rolling down the empty roads of Racine.
ReplyDeleteThe bunch of retards are the people supporting Tousis who think calling an elected official names is the right thing to do when he is on the committee to decide the fate of the project. You don't have to like him, but this one wasn't all the way through. That is about par for the course on this project.
ReplyDeleteWhen Spangenberg breaks every rule in the book to keep this project from seeing the light of day, he deserves everything he gets. He is only one vote, and he was never going to vote for the project anyway since:
ReplyDelete1. It was not his idea
2. There is a proposal that is being created that Spangenberg has been involved in for that site.
Did Jesus tell Jim that this Tom guy was the anti-christ. What a wack job?
ReplyDeleteThe three things Racine has left: a Realtor, a dirt pile, and rampid unemployment.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know if there is going to be an alternative from Spangenberg at the Redevelopment meeting? I get this feeling that he has some financial interest coming out at the meeting.
ReplyDeleteDevelopment for the sake of development isn't necessarily the right thing to do. More thought and, perhaps, compromise might make it a better project for the neighborhood in the long run. I'm tired of short-term vision that looks only at individual profit. What is the best development for that corner that will benefit the neighborhood far into the future?
ReplyDeleteThe neighborhood wants a grocery store with fuel, full service restaurant, and bank. Not an alderman trying to enrich his pockets.
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ReplyDeleteThe neighborhood wants a grocery store, for sure.
ReplyDeleteHey Tom! You know this is going to the courts?
ReplyDeleteI now heard that Jim talks to god every morning. Wow, this stuff is getting more weird by the minute. There must be some kind of "supernatural" force to explain why one of our aldermen is fighting his whole district. I knew he was religious, but talking in "tongues" to god every morning. Maybe the aldermen should have to be periodically evaluated by a psychiatrist, in order to maintain their position in office.
ReplyDeletehey,Jim and Brian, I so can't wait to see what kind of stall tactics you two will have come up with to cost us even more money.
ReplyDelete10-06-09 8:14 PM
ReplyDeleteI know that nine years is long enough to think about it. Tax payers of Racine can't afford to "THINK" about it. This is a good proposal.
THE STALL TACTIC IS THEY ARE SAYING THAT BECAUSE TOM DIDN'T MAKE A "OFFER TO PURCHASE" THEY WON'T VOTE TODAY. KEEP IN MIND THAT NO OTHER PROPOSAL IN THE PAST HAD THIS PREREQUISITE.
10/06/2009 4:48 PM
ReplyDeleteYou just lowered yourself to the level of those your criticizing by calling them names. Besides I think it is a insult to mentally challenged people to use that descriptive. Now if you would like to pontificate in an intelligent manner, maybe someone will take you seriously.
Now as far as having any "authority" on a political committee they all should keep in mind the the ultimate power is with the people that allow them any power at all. You see "We The People" have the LAST word.