Bulk trash, bonuses on agenda
Published 6:53 pm Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Suffolk City Council will discuss the return of free bulk trash service, giving $1 million worth of bonuses to city employees, creating a second gang enforcement police team and a development in the Davis Boulevard area tonight.
The council will meet at 7 p.m. at 441 Market St. A work session will begin at 4 p.m.
The proposal to spend $2 million of an estimated $3.5 million surplus from last fiscal year would give half to as-yet publicly unidentified city employees who helped generate the cost savings. The other half would be spent on reinstating free bulk trash collection and adding a Neighborhood Enforcement Team to North Suffolk to combat gang activity there.
City Council found out last month that an audit shows an estimated surplus of about $3.5 million for fiscal year 2009. The extra money was the result of cost savings throughout the city, leaders have said.
The remainder of the expected surplus, about $1.5 million, would go into the city’s general fund for unforeseen and emergency needs.
Later in the meeting, council members are scheduled to consider a development proposal in the Davis Boulevard area.
The Davis Boulevard project developers hope to put 111 single-family homes and 197 townhouses in their development, proposed for the area at the end of the existing Davis Boulevard, east of White Marsh Road and south of East Washington Street.
The project received a 5-1 green light, with one abstention, at the Planning Commission meeting in September. However, William Goodman, the commissioner who abstained, made it clear at that meeting he hopes his fellow East Suffolk Gardens residents will protest the traffic plans of the development.
A public hearing will be held on the Davis Boulevard proposal before the vote.