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98 <br /> <br />TUESDAY. MAY 11.1999 <br />the location were being noted. Mr. Hamed that he had had several very positive and active contacts, and <br />that the most frequently mentioned advantages of the property were infrastructure elements, such as <br />existing water, sewer, electric and rail service. He noted that the City would also be running its new fiber <br />optic cable to both the Clearview and Rives Road sites. Mr. Hamed then mentioned the project at the <br />former Tultex site in the Uptown, bordered by Moss, Fayette, Market and Church Streets, noting that the <br />demolition and grading there had tamed out very well, with about $205,000 invested on the site. Mr. <br />Hamed then addressed his budget request, noting that level funding from the previous year was requested. <br />He pointed out greater emphasis in the coming year on tourism efforts, to be funded from revenues from <br />the City' s share of Regional Competitivehess Act funds and funds received from the American of <br />Martinsville settlement. Mr. Hamed noted that the Chamber of Commerce was already prepared to <br />provide office space for the new initiative. Further discussion then took place on the merits of the <br />tourism initiative. Mr. Hamed then continued with information on community development efforts, <br />noting work to be done at Academy Place, the former R. P. Thomas site, with $10,000 provided for <br />grading and maintenance there. He also noted the use of soil from the site to benefit the Albert Harris <br />Project. Other elements of the Academy Place project included development planning, architectural <br />renderings of proposed housing, pursuit of a planning grant from 'the Department of Housing and Urban <br />Development, and development of a marketing and advertising campaign for the property~ Further <br />discussion on the potential of this project then took place. Mr. Hamed then covered several miscellaneous <br />elements of his budget and closed his presentation. Mayor Crabtree then congratulated Mr. Hamed on his <br />achievement of a Certified Economic Developer certification from the University of Oklahoma. <br /> <br /> Mr. Chris Whitlow, Planning Associate in the Community Development Department, next <br /> presented information on other elements of the department budget. He noted a 4% decrease in personnel <br /> costs due to the departure of Mr. David Reeves and reduction of compensation for the position, a <br /> reduction in housing condemnation and demolition funds, and a $7,500 increase in the Critical Care <br /> housing repair fund. Vice Mayor Teague observed that the Critical Care fund would provide for spot <br /> <br /> <br />