Tax rebates approved for Pa. Street development

A private development that will add new houses, offices and commercial space to the area near Eighth and Pennsylvania streets will receive property tax rebates under a plan given preliminary approval by city commissioners Tuesday night.

A project led by Bo Harris would be eligible for an estimated $3.5 million worth of property tax rebates that would be used to pay for infrastructure improvements such as new streets, storm sewers and sidewalks.

The plan would be the city’s first use of the Neighborhood Revitalization Act. Commissioners approved the concept on a 5-0 vote. The plan would limit the rebates to a period of 20 years, would not allow the total amount of rebates to exceed the cost of the infrastructure improvements and would not obligate the city to use any additional city tax dollars on the project.

Commissioners are expected to give final approval to the plan within the next two to three weeks. In order to receive the full $3.5 million worth of rebates – which is the cost estimate for the infrastructure improvements – Harris needs to get the county and the Lawrence school district to participate in the program, too. He said he would approach both the school board and the county commission about the tax rebate program after the city finalizes its participation in the plan.

City manager receives 4 percent pay raise

City commissioners unanimously approved a 4 percent raise for City Manager David Corliss.

Corliss’ salary for 2007 will increase from $125,000 to $130,000.

Commissioners received one objection to the raise. Lawrence resident Wayne Parkinson said he did not think Corliss had been on the job long enough to justify receiving the raise. Corliss was hired as the new city manager in late September. He previously was a longtime assistant city manager under Mike Wildgen, who resigned under pressure.

All five commissioners, though, defended their decision to give Corliss a raise, saying that he had done a good job and that the raise put his salary in line with what city managers of comparable communities earned.

Downtown waterline project to begin April 23

Commissioners unanimously agreed with a recommendation from staff members to begin the third phase of the downtown waterline project on April 23 and try to have it completed by Sept. 7.

The project will limit traffic to one way on parts of Massachusetts Street and temporarily remove significant amounts of parking. This year’s work will affect the 900, 1000 and 1100 blocks of Massachusetts Street.

Staff members previously had discussed the project with several downtown merchants, who were in agreement with the timeline.