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Canfield debates development proposal
CANFIELD
City officials’ apprehension toward a roughly $29,000 contract for downtown development consultation and the lengthy debate that followed led the consultant to withdraw the proposal.
Last year, the city contracted with Town Center Associates of Beaver, Pa., to study Canfield Center’s business makeup and appearance and to suggest improvements for a more vibrant city center in a report delivered in December. Appearing on the agenda for a Wednesday council meeting was a new agreement to continue the firm’s data-driven consultation at $9,750 a year for the next three years, which was also terminable at any time after a 30-day notice.
But city Manager Wade Calhoun and planning and zoning officials questioned what the consultant could deliver that couldn’t be done in-house. During Wednesday’s meeting, zoning Inspector Mike Cook said members of the city’s planning and zoning board recommended against the contract in an informal conversation with Councilman Bruce Neff, who invited the firm.
The planning board took no official action on that recommendation, and Councilman John Morvay said Wednesday he was unaware of the board’s disapproval.
Resident Jeanette Klukan, who said she moved from the area to Pittsburgh but recently returned, questioned why the city has not conducted its own assessment if the resources are available.
“The same dumpy buildings since I moved here are still the same dumpy buildings,” she said.
Cook said Thursday the city can’t force business owners to change their businesses because they’re unappealing – unless it’s through citations for property maintenance issues such as broken windows or falling siding – though the planning and zoning board holds permitting powers for downtown businesses.
“We felt that we could do just about anything [Town Center was] going to do for us,” he said. “They haven’t guaranteed anything they’re giving to us. I’d like to see something like that before we enter into an agreement.”
Mark Peluso, principal of Town Center Associates, who presented Wednesday on the firm’s qualifications and expertise, ultimately withdrew the firm’s proposal. to allow city officials “to deal with whatever decisions [they] have to deal with,” he said.