Tag: public policy

Categories
Development News Politics

Covington poised to appoint first Community Development Director

Covington is poised to appoint Jackson Kinney as the city’s first Community Development Director. Covington’s City Commission will vote on Kinney’s appointment at their meeting on Tuesday, June 22 at 7pm.

“Mr. Kinney has a strong and diverse background in community development working for large municipalities. The knowledge, experience, and planning background that he brings to this position will propel Covington’s economic and housing development efforts to new heights” stated Larry Klein, Covington City Manager, in a prepared release sent to UrbanCincy. “The Mayor and City Commission have worked very hard to assemble a superbly qualified community development team that will lead to even greater job, housing and development opportunities throughout the City.”

Kinney has a Journalism degree from Ohio University, and a Masters of Urban Planning from the University of Akron. He served as the Director of Community Development in Oshkosh, WI for close to 26 years, and during this time Kinney oversaw planning, economic development, housing, and downtown revitalization efforts for the city’s nearly 63,000 residents. He has also served in a number of planning positions throughout several communities in the Midwest and California prior to his service in Oshkosh, WI.

Covington officials are excited about Kinney’s background in both short- and long-term strategic planning throughout the country. Officials are also encouraged by the opportunity to tap into Kinney’s experience with brownfield and riverfront redevelopment which are both ongoing issues in Covington.

Should expectations hold true, and Kinney is appointed on June 22nd, he should begin work with the City of Covington on Monday, July 19th – something Kinney is looking forward to.

“I am very impressed with the community. The City is in a great location in the heart of the Cincinnati metropolitan area, with a wonderful riverfront setting and superb development that will continue to be a catalyst for additional development,” Kinney stated. “The City has a rich history to build on, with active business districts, distinct neighborhoods, and what is most important, engaged citizens and stakeholders.”

Categories
News Politics Transportation

Revamped parking system could yield additional $3M annually for Cincinnati

As Cincinnati faces the challenge of closing a $50 million budget gap this year a wide variety of solutions are bound to be presented. The most likely solutions will revolve around making deep cuts to the services and operations of Cincinnati city government.

There is a risk that recreational, planning, public safety, and health services could all be reduced. There is also a real possibility that some, possibly many, people will be out of a job once the cuts are finalized. While some cuts might be necessary during this stage of the game, and while controlling expenses is important, it has been seen that cutting costs to improve profitability rarely results in long-term benefits. Quite simply, you can not cut your way to prosperity.

To that end, Cincinnati must find ways to grow its revenues annually to help offset growing liabilities associated with employee legacy costs and an insatiable appetite for more public safety spending.

In 2009, Cincinnati collected roughly $8.91 million from its on-street parking meters, off-street parking garages and parking lots. Parking garage collections account for more than half of the total collections, while parking lots and parking meters account for nearly a quarter each of the remainder.

Historically public parking assets have been seen as keeping parking rates artificially low. Presumably this is to make urban environments more appealing to a temporary suburban workforce and shopping base that is used to vast seas of open and subsidized parking that is free in their suburban domains. These public assets should be treated, I believe, in a way that maximizes their revenues.

The City of Atlanta recently engaged in a new public-private partnership with Duncan Solutions, Inc. The partnership has resulted in the creation of PARKatlanta which is jointly overseen by the City of Atlanta and Duncan Solutions.

Duncan is tasked with managing Atlanta’s on-street parking services and assets. This means that while the City of Atlanta maintains ownership of its parking meters and right-of-way, Duncan Solutions will maintain the meters and regulatory signage, parking meter collections, on-street parking and right-of-way regulation enforcement, parking citation processing and delinquent collection services, and vehicle booting and towing services.

The financials of this partnership include an upfront annual payment of $5.5 million from Duncan Solutions to the City of Atlanta over the course of the seven year contract. In addition to the guaranteed money, the contract calls for the installation of more than 200 multi-space parking meter pay stations that accept various forms of payment similar to the 12 Pay And Display Meters found on 3rd and Court streets in downtown Cincinnati.

The public-private partnership is not only growing a source of revenue within Atlanta’s budget, but it is also offering a guaranteed income stream over the next seven years and is improving the quality of the parking meters by replacing dated meters with multi-space pay stations.

The comparison between Atlanta and Cincinnati is striking. Prior to Atlanta’s contract with Duncan Solutions, Atlanta had 900 parking meters which grew to 2,500 under the new partnership. Cincinnati currently has more than 5,700 parking meters. So while Cincinnati has more than double the number of parking meters, it collects less than half the revenue. On average a parking meter in Cincinnati collects approximately $428 annually, while a parking meter in Atlanta collects $2,200.

The two cities obviously have their differences in terms of parking demands and rates charged, but the gap in collections is striking. Cincinnati should explore a similar public-private partnership of their own that would improve the City’s on-street parking assets while also growing revenues. If a similar seven year term could be signed in Cincinnati, it would result in an additional $3.06 million annually.

Categories
Development News Politics Transportation

Cutting through the clutter to get urbanism news

It was approximately one year ago when UrbanCincy dove into the world of Twitter.  We were not sure what to make of it or how to use it, but there is certainly lots of information to be had if you are able to cut through the clutter (if in fact you dislike the clutter).

As a result, UrbanCincy has been putting together a list of those Twitter users who share information and ideas about urbanist issues.  Some focus on transit, some on particular cities or regions, others on policy and others sharing their urban experiences.  The people behind these accounts include policy makers, industry professionals, residents, businesses and writers.

The value is that at any given time you can keep tabs on the heartbeat of urbanism across America, and beyond, by simply following this list of people.  You do not have to be on Twitter to follow the list, but if you want to engage in conversation you do.  In either case the information is there for the taking.  Bookmark the page to follow along at your leisure, or follow the list on Twitter if you have an account.

If you have any other Twitter users that you believe should be added to this list, please leave a comment below so that they can be added to the stream.

Categories
News Politics Transportation

Southwest Ohio receives $2.65M for clean-fuel buses from ODOT

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced a $15 million direct investment to purchase 41 clean-fuel buses throughout the state that will benefit 11 local and regional transit authorities. The investment includes $2.65 million for the Cincinnati region that will purchase three hybrid electric/diesel 40-foot buses for the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) and two diesel 40-foot buses for the Clermont Transportation Connection (CTC).

State and local officials are calling the investment a historic move as state officials look to offset financial woes facing many of Ohio’s transit agencies by increasing the use of alternative fuels and thus decreasing operational costs. The $15 million investment is part of the 2010-2011 State Transportation Budget, and is less than half of the total $33 million in requests from local and regional transit authorities across the state.

“Never before has ODOT made this type of direct investment in our state’s transit agencies to bolster our commitment to promoting travel choice and cleaning the air we breathe,” ODOT Director Jolene M. Molitoris stated in a prepared release received by UrbanCincy. “In our larger cities, many of our transit partners are already making these environmentally-friendlier investments. ODOT’s efforts will further leverage these investments – both in our urban and rural regions – to create a safer, greener, more multi-modal transportation system.”

The three new hybrid electric buses are expected to start rolling in 2011 for SORTA’s Metro bus service. Last year Metro added the first six hybrid buses to its fleet, and since that time SORTA officials say that the buses have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 190 tons, provided about 330,000 clean rides, traveled close to 210,000 miles, and saved an estimated 7,000 gallons of diesel fuel. Thanks to a federal investment through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, Metro will add another seven hybrid buses to its fleet this year.

“We praise ODOT’s progressive leadership in funding clean technology to Ohio,” said Marilyn G. Shazor, CEO, Metro. “Metro has been a national leader in alternative fuels like biodiesel and our experience with hybrid buses has been positive in terms of both environmental benefits and customer satisfaction.”

Categories
Business News Politics

Quinlivan proposes three city-owned food truck locations in downtown Cincinnati

Photo by Bob Schwartz
Photo by Bob Schwartz

Since UrbanCincy first covered the news of Cincinnati’s first food truck (Cafe de Wheels) in December, Senor Roy’s Taco Patrol has started operations and been wildly popular. Meanwhile, Taco Azul is poised to start its authentic Mexican food truck operations later this summer, and Gold Star Chili has announced the formal creation of their ‘Chilimobile’ that will serve Cincinnati-style chili throughout downtown and at other special events. The early success of these mobile food mavens should not come as a surprise given the popularity of food trucks nationally.

Policy makers at City Hall are now catching on and looking to help address the issues currently facing mobile food trucks as it relates to where they can and can not set up operations. Cincinnati City Council member Laure Quinlivan has proposed three city-owned “mobile food vendor” locations in downtown Cincinnati that would provide available spaces for these food trucks on downtown Cincinnati’s crowded streets.

“I want to increase the vitality of our street life and spread activity from Fountain Square to other parts of downtown,” Quinlivan stated in a press release sent to UrbanCincy. “I think giving mobile food vendors a few key areas to do business will help accomplish that. This is also an avenue for talented chefs to start a small business.”

The ability for aspiring chefs to take their product to the street allows them to avoid the costly overhead of an actual location where they are paying utilities and a lease for 24 hours of operation. At the same time, the small business owners are unable to move about to find their best customer base. Customers, on the other hand, love the laid back approach and flexibility of food trucks to be where the action is.

Since December, Cafe de Wheels has been found in downtown Cincinnati for the lunch crowd, Over-the-Rhine for Final Friday and other events, Northside for the after-hours crowd, and at special gatherings like WatchThis and other parties. Senor Roys, meanwhile, can pretty much be found everywhere and anywhere – you need to keep a close watch to their Twitter account to stay up-to-speed. And when Taco Azul starts its operations you can expect a more steady location pattern for lunch and special events.

Photo by Thadd Fiala

The problem thus far has not been too much oversight by City Hall on the topic of mobile food trucks, but rather, the lack of any real discussion whatsoever. This has left food truck operators to fend for themselves with vague public policy and inconsistent agreements with private property owners.

Quinlivan’s proposed pilot program has been reviewed by City administrators from six different City departments, and will be discussed at City Council’s Quality of Life Committee meeting Tuesday, June 8 at 12pm at City Hall (map). Quinlivan has the hopes to pass the legislation before City Council goes on summer recess.  Free bicycle parking is available, and City Hall is served by Metro bus service (plan your trip).

Cafe de Wheels’ owner Thomas Acito is scheduled to speak at the committee meeting on behalf of the Cincinnati Food Truck Alliance.

Stay up-to-date on all of Cincinnati’s mobile food operations by following UrbanCincy’s comprehensive Twitter list.