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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972-0414 SPECIALMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL APRIL 14, 1972 A special meeting of the Ashland City Council was called to order at 3:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Ashland City Hall, by Mayor Charles McKeen. Councilmen McCannon, Roberts and Roble were present; Conklin, Soderberg and Willstatter were absent. The meeting was called to discuss federal legislation currently in the Ways & Means Committee on revenue sharing with Congressman John Dellenback. Although admitting he was not well versed on the proposed legislation, Mr. Dellenback was of the opinion that the total appropriation would exceed five ~illion dollars. He noted that the Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee, as well as the Administration, was in favor of the bill; however, the ranking Republican on the committee, John Burns (Wis.), was opposed to the bill as proposed. Mr. Dellenback expects the bill to go to the House in less than a month; and he will support passage of the bill, feeling that the Senate will make improvements. He also felt that, if the House did not pass the bill, the concept of revenue sharing was dead. Councilman Roble asked about the federal appropriations of Law Enforcement Agency funds. City Administrator Almquist noted that a study was currently being made utilizing L.E.A.A. funds, and the City planned to submit an application for a grant under the program. Congressman Dellenback stated, "Our greatest problem in Washington is the economic problem, if we continue spending at our present rate. I am very concerned about continued deficit spending." Mayor McKeen felt that a major problem in getting funds from the Federal government is that those funds are normally earmarked for grandiose developments, rather than being available for basic needs (such as street improvements and police protection). Although the City is not feeling the financial pinch as great as many other cities are now experiencing, if revenues continue as they are now, we will soon be facing a real e~onomic crisis. The Congressman said there would probably be some strings attached to the use of Federal funds, but hoped that cities would be allowed discretion in the use of the money. It was his understanding that roughly one percent of the total appropriation would go to Oregon, since Oregon has approximately one percent of the total population. The City Administrator understood from the League of National Cities that Oregon cities would probably receive $35 million. Dellenback felt that was probably correct, since the proposed bill would apportion one-third of the money to the State and two-thirds to the cities. There was some discussion of H.U.D. and H.E.W. Mr. Dellenback praised Secretary Romney for doing a good job of reorganizing H.U.D. The City Administrator stated that the City's experience with H.U.D. found it to move slowly, in that it took about eight months to get our last progress payment on a project previously approved. The Congressman offered to do what he could to expedite such matters in the future. -1- ~cial Meeting Ashland City Council April 14, In response to a question on 0 & C funds, Congressman Dellenback felt the funding was probably in jeopardy. In his position on the Interior Committee, however, he would do all he could to see the plan is continued. The meeting was adjourned Mayor. at 3:4S p.m., subject to the call of the Respectfully submitted, /Joseph M. Butler City Recorder JMB/nck