*Urban Conservancy Biweekly Update* January 28, 2002 In this issue: *City Budget Committee Defers Selection On Independent Audit *Mayoral Candidates On Wal-Mart, BGR's "Challenge For A New Mayor" *New Ideas-Beyond Bourbon Street *Quick News and Views *Volunteers Needed ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CITY COUNCIL BUDGET COMMITTEE DEFERS SELECTION ON INDEPENDENT AUDITOR The City Council Budget Committee met on January 24 to discuss the financing piece of the embattled Wal-Mart component of the community supported St. Thomas redevelopment. Councilmember Gusman used the meeting as an opportunity to frame the scope of questions asked by the committee. Gusman said those questions include "who is putting in what, what is the economic impact to the surrounding area, is it good or bad, what are the other sources of tax revenue, and what are the risks?" The Budget Committee hopes to hold a special meeting on February 5 to select an auditor of the troubled project. Read more at: http://www.urbanconservancy.org/walmart/city_budget.html The Urban Conservancy also released a position on the audit at the request of Councilmember Gusman: http://www.urbanconservancy.org/walmart/UC_Position_analysis.html In the position paper, the Urban Conservancy stressed some of the key points that should be studied by any financial audit: http://www.urbanconservancy.org/walmart/UC_Key_points.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MAYORAL CANDIDATES ON WAL-MART, BGR'S "CHALLENGE FOR A NEW MAYOR" The candidates for mayor give their opinions on the proposed Wal-Mart and the St. Thomas Redevelopment. Additionally, the Urban Conservancy lists who signed (and who didn't) the Bureau Of Governmental Research's "Challenge For A New Mayor," a proposal for reforming the city's bid process to eliminate patronage. See the complete report at: http://www.urbanconservancy.org/letters/mayor/mayor_candidates.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- BEYOND BOURBON ST: BUILDING GROWTH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY The Urban Conservancy announces the launch of its latest project -- Beyond Bourbon St: Building Growth in Partnership with the Community. The Urban Conservancy is partnering with Tulane University's service-learning program to document examples of positive commercial and residential infill and adaptive use in New Orleans. This documentation will form the basis of a presentation designed to help neighborhood organizations, civic leaders, and developers understand the range of possibilities for economic development compatible with our historic neighborhoods. This exciting project will move our community away from fruitless and unnecessary fights and towards healthy models of commercial and residential construction that provide economic development while nurturing and sustaining our unique neighborhoods. You can help The Urban Conservancy celebrate the good things already going on around New Orleans. Please send your tax-deductible contribution to: The Urban Conservancy 920 Spain St. New Orleans, LA 70117 PS-Thanks to all those who donated the first week!!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- QUICK NEWS AND VIEWS City Council Overrides City Preservation Agency, Plans to Override City Planning Commission: http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/neworleans/index.ssf?/newsstory/o_council23.html How can we create a zoning plan that unifies City Government? Mandelker, From His January 14th Presentation (Adobe Acrobat): http://www.urbanconservancy.org/tools/Mandelker_Report.pdf Is New Orleans For People Or Automobiles? http://www.urbanconservancy.org/walmart/borah_012101.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UC IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS The Urban Conservancy is seeking persuasive writers, committed artists and just plain passionate people to assist in the Wal-Mart campaign and other projects in the near future. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to volunteers@urbanconservancy.org with your name and phone number. If you have already committed, you will be contacted soon! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PASS THIS ALONG TO A FRIEND The Urban Conservancy depends on word of mouth to help us grow and educate. Please forward this mail to someone who loves New Orleans. Or they can sign up for their own copy at: http://www.urbanconservancy.org/mailman/listinfo/uc ------------------------------------------------------------------ EM Edward Melendez Principal Urban Conservancy http://www.urbanconservancy.org If you assume that there's no hope, you guarantee there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things. -Noam Chomsky
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