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City eyes Congress for millions in improvements
By JOSH HARDWICK
While Congress mulls over the possibility of passing a massive, multibillion-dollar economic stimulus package, officials with the city of Baytown say they are ready to utilize any federal funds they can get their hands on to improve the city’s infrastructure and create thousands of new jobs.
City mayor Stephen DonCarlos joined mayors from over 600 other cities across the nation who submitted a list of infrastructure projects to the U.S. Conference of Mayors last month.
Headed by Miami Mayor Manual Diaz, the conference is calling for federal investment of over $73 billion nationwide into improvement projects in 10 key areas including transportation, community development, education and public works.
The conference assembled the list of projects in response to President-elect Barack Obama’s stated goal of creating 2.5 million American jobs by 2011, a goal that has received strong backing by the nation’s mayors.
Baytown’s list of proposed projects includes over $275 million in improvements that the city says will bring more than 4,000 jobs to the area.
All of the projects - which range from $600,000 for new firefighting equipment to over $22 million to repair 61 miles of city streets – have been deemed by the city as, “ready to go” and capable of being completed by 2009 or 2010.
City Manager Gary Brumback explained that the projects are all part of Baytown’s long-term plans for growth. However, federal assistance will enable the city to expedite its plans to improve public works without burdening taxpayers.
“There’s nothing on this list that we wouldn’t be doing in the next 10 to 15 years anyway,” he said. “We are trying to position ourselves to reduce any short term, out-of-pocket expenditures to the citizens of Baytown.”
Other projects include a $3.5 million dollar expansion to Baytown City Hall, a project that city council recently approved in favor of relocation to a newer part of town.
The city is also eyeing $3 million for a plan to complete renovation of Baytown’s historic downtown area near West Texas Ave. An $800,000 federal matching grant is already being used to revitalize a small part of the six-block stretch of downtown, which includes new streetscapes, repairs to older commercial buildings and razing uninhabitable structures.
City officials hope to use the mostly vacant downtown area to encourage development of a new theatre and fine arts district there, a plan that is being assisted in part by Lee College and its new $14.7 million, 57,900 square foot performing arts center set to open in March.
Recently West Texas Ave. has also become the home of Baytown’s 45-year-old league, and talks are in place with the Baytown Little Theatre to make the downtown area its new home.
With parts of Baytown still reeling from Hurricane Ike, the city is also asking for federal assistance on several projects designed to complete repairs and prepare for future storms.
The Bayland Marina, which was devastated by Ike, has been identified as an important economic asset and earmarked for $3.9 million in repairs and renovations
Meanwhile an additional $600,000 is being sought to reinforce critical public safety facilities such as police and fire stations and schools to better withstand hurricane-force winds, giving public servants and residents who choose to stay behind safer options for shelter during the next storm.
As ambitious as they are, whether all 14 proposed projects or just a handful are completed by 2010 is contingent upon the actions of Congress and the next presidential administration, said Brumback.
For example, the city has already set aside $5 million of its own money for street, sewer and wastewater treatment projects alone. Assistance in the form of economic stimulus funds directed at public works, however, will present Baytown with the opportunity to do more and do it faster without passing the cost to taxpayers.
Brumback was careful to insist that the city – if it indeed becomes eligible for project funding from the government – would not spend the money frivolously.
“We didn’t put any pork in there, but we are going to go after as many projects as we can possibly get,” he said. “Getting our city’s infrastructure revitalized will improve the quality of life here and present an opportunity to put thousands of people back to work.”
A complete list of projects referred by Baytown and cities across the nation for public assistance can be found at www.usmayors.org/mainstreeteconomicrecovery.
City mayor Stephen DonCarlos joined mayors from over 600 other cities across the nation who submitted a list of infrastructure projects to the U.S. Conference of Mayors last month.
Headed by Miami Mayor Manual Diaz, the conference is calling for federal investment of over $73 billion nationwide into improvement projects in 10 key areas including transportation, community development, education and public works.
The conference assembled the list of projects in response to President-elect Barack Obama’s stated goal of creating 2.5 million American jobs by 2011, a goal that has received strong backing by the nation’s mayors.
Baytown’s list of proposed projects includes over $275 million in improvements that the city says will bring more than 4,000 jobs to the area.
All of the projects - which range from $600,000 for new firefighting equipment to over $22 million to repair 61 miles of city streets – have been deemed by the city as, “ready to go” and capable of being completed by 2009 or 2010.
City Manager Gary Brumback explained that the projects are all part of Baytown’s long-term plans for growth. However, federal assistance will enable the city to expedite its plans to improve public works without burdening taxpayers.
“There’s nothing on this list that we wouldn’t be doing in the next 10 to 15 years anyway,” he said. “We are trying to position ourselves to reduce any short term, out-of-pocket expenditures to the citizens of Baytown.”
Other projects include a $3.5 million dollar expansion to Baytown City Hall, a project that city council recently approved in favor of relocation to a newer part of town.
The city is also eyeing $3 million for a plan to complete renovation of Baytown’s historic downtown area near West Texas Ave. An $800,000 federal matching grant is already being used to revitalize a small part of the six-block stretch of downtown, which includes new streetscapes, repairs to older commercial buildings and razing uninhabitable structures.
City officials hope to use the mostly vacant downtown area to encourage development of a new theatre and fine arts district there, a plan that is being assisted in part by Lee College and its new $14.7 million, 57,900 square foot performing arts center set to open in March.
Recently West Texas Ave. has also become the home of Baytown’s 45-year-old league, and talks are in place with the Baytown Little Theatre to make the downtown area its new home.
With parts of Baytown still reeling from Hurricane Ike, the city is also asking for federal assistance on several projects designed to complete repairs and prepare for future storms.
The Bayland Marina, which was devastated by Ike, has been identified as an important economic asset and earmarked for $3.9 million in repairs and renovations
Meanwhile an additional $600,000 is being sought to reinforce critical public safety facilities such as police and fire stations and schools to better withstand hurricane-force winds, giving public servants and residents who choose to stay behind safer options for shelter during the next storm.
As ambitious as they are, whether all 14 proposed projects or just a handful are completed by 2010 is contingent upon the actions of Congress and the next presidential administration, said Brumback.
For example, the city has already set aside $5 million of its own money for street, sewer and wastewater treatment projects alone. Assistance in the form of economic stimulus funds directed at public works, however, will present Baytown with the opportunity to do more and do it faster without passing the cost to taxpayers.
Brumback was careful to insist that the city – if it indeed becomes eligible for project funding from the government – would not spend the money frivolously.
“We didn’t put any pork in there, but we are going to go after as many projects as we can possibly get,” he said. “Getting our city’s infrastructure revitalized will improve the quality of life here and present an opportunity to put thousands of people back to work.”
A complete list of projects referred by Baytown and cities across the nation for public assistance can be found at www.usmayors.org/mainstreeteconomicrecovery.
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