CITY CAPITAL BUDGET HEARINGS BEGIN

THE SIOUX CITY COUNCIL BEGAN THEIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET HEARINGS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013 AT CITY HALL TUESDAY MORNING.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST ITEMS IS 25 MILLION DOLLARS ALLOCATED FOR A DOWNTOWN GAMING CASINO. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER BOB PADMORE SAYS WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL IMPACT:

      

AIRPORT DIRECTOR CURT MILLER TOLD COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE WAS A NEED FOR RUNWAY REPAIRS AT SIOUX GATEWAY AIRPORT.

TRANSIT PURCHASING MANAGER MIKE COLLETTE SPOKE OF THE NEED FOR A NEW BUS WASHING SYSTEM, MAINTENANCE GARAGE ROOF AND REPLACEMENT OF UP TO FOUR CITY PARA-TRANSIT BUSES. HE SAID PROJECTED FEDERAL AID WAS EXPECTED TO GO MOSTLY TO LARGER STATES.

MAYOR BOB SCOTT SUGGESTED THAT IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STOPPED SUBSIDIZING TRANSIT SYSTEMS, THEIR FUTURE IN SMALL STATES IN IOWA WOULD BE IN DOUBT.

EVENTS FACILITIES DIRECTOR ARON RUSH REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL ZAMBONI AT A COST OF 100-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE TYSON EVENTS CENTER PLUS 25-THOUSAND TO REPAIR THE IBP ICE CENTER'S ZAMBONI:

SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS QUESTIONED IF THE SIOUX CITY MUSKETEERS HOCKEY TEAM SHOULD PAY FOR THE ZAMBONI, SINCE THEY WOULD BE THE PRIMARY USER.

A SECOND ROUND OF DEPARTMENT HEARINGS, INCLUDING POLICE AND FIRE, WILL TAKE PLACE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS WEDNESDAY MORNING.
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