Seth Johnson
The Gainesville City Commission will convene Thursday for its regular meeting, capping a week of special meetings.
City officials met Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to cover a Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) forecast of sales, strategic planning and an audit.
Thursday’s meeting starts at 10 a.m. in the City Hall Auditorium. For public comment, citizens will need to arrive in person as call-in comment is no longer accepted.
Here are some items of interest on Thursday’s agenda.
Renovated laundry room at GRACE Marketplace:
On the consent agenda, the commission is set to approve a $413,000 contract with AKEA Incorporated to renovate a laundry room at GRACE Marketplace.
The city put the project out to bid in February and received one bid.
Nonprofits receive $6.9 million in funds:
Through its federal allocation of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds, the City of Gainesville set aside $7 million for local nonprofit aid. After a proposal process, city staff and the Community Foundation of North Central Florida designated the funds.
Of the 47 applicants, 37 will receive funds totaling $6,981,322. If approved by the commission, the nonprofit will be formally notified and fill out subrecipient agreements before starting to use the funds. City staff will also keep in touch to monitor funds and compliance through quarterly meetings.
Downtown Strategic Plan Project:
The commission is set to hear a presentation on the draft analysis and key ideas for its strategic plan for downtown Gainesville. The commissioners can then discuss any and add comments to be included in the final report for June or July.
The Downtown Strategic Plan is listed as a top priority for the city, and staff held community meetings in the fall along with ones this week to gain input.
Thursday’s item has no recommended direction.
Boulware Springs Historic Water Works Facility:
The commission is set to transfer ownership of the Boulware Springs Historic Water Works Facility from GRU to the regular city government.
Built in the late 1800s, the site gained access to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and underwent renovation in 1990. Water from the spring—approximately 194,000 gallons a day— flows into Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.
Approve grant agreements with FDOT:
The Florida Department of Transportation looks to update bus stops, curb ramps and sidewalks throughout the city to ADA guidelines, and the commission will authorize the interim city manager to make the necessary agreements for the projects.
The state will underwrite the projects for approximately $558,250 and plans to finish by 2025.