Speed Zone EPA Studies Underway(posted Sept 19) The Speedway Redevelopment Commission has no contingency plan if Georgetown Road is not vacated in accordance with their plans. SRC President Scott Harris explained the commission is moving forward with the assumptions that the road will be vacated. The commission is also in the process of interviewing for a new marketing firm. Commissioner Vince Noblet explained the marketing firm is needed to attract national and international companies to the Speed Zone rather than promoting the idea to the local people. He discussed the possibility of using different firms to address different issues within the various levels of marketing. Harris said the SRC decided to seek services other than Hetrick Communications due to some issues that arose over the last six months. The commission decided to meet Sept 21 to continue the interviewing process because of Commissioner Steve Bishop's concern that opportunities are being missed. The commission has delayed the purchase of 1330 and 1340 Main Street until the phase 1 and phase 2 environmental study results are completed. Harris explained he could not remember the firm's name they hired to conduct the studies, but he recalled the reason why the firm was hired because it was cheaper than Sustainable Solutions. However, Harris said that Keith Veal of Sustainable Solutions needs to provide an interpretative analysis of the report to them before the commission can close on the property. Commissioner Ron Fisher expressed his annoyance with the slow progress of the environmental studies. He was afraid they would lose the EPA grant that was awarded to them last year if the monies were not used. Noblet said it was not that easy because it required consent from property owners to access the property to drill for soil samples. Some property owners are "squeamish" at the thought of what the test sample will reveal. Fisher was pushing to have access to the Dotlich property. Noblet said they have been working on other properties like the calcium lime pile at Praxair Surface Technologies. Noblet noted that Norm Gallivan already had phase 1 and phase 2 conducted at the Electric Steel Casting site. Fisher also cited the need to test Urbancic's property at 10th and Main since it was a former auto service facility. Noblet said that properties with underground tanks do not qualify for this particular grant. |
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