03/23/2006

Four sign petition on Front St. project

By
Record-Eagle staff writer

TRAVERSE CITY — City commissioners provided four of the 1,118 signatures residents must collect to force a city vote on a West Front Street public parking project.

Commissioners Jody Bergman, Rick Csapo, Ralph Soffredine and Deni Scrudato added their names to the petition drive. The city commission last month approved up to $16 million in city bonds to pay for public parking and improvements in a West Front Street mixed-use project by developer Michael Uzelac of Federated Properties.

Scrudato cast the lone no vote in that decision, but Bergman, Csapo and Soffredine joined her in calling for a bond referendum.

"It is a big decision, and I hate to base my decision totally on a couple of dozen people at a meeting," said Bergman. "I just think it is part of the process: I would like to hear from the voters."

Mayor Linda Smyka and commissioners Matthew Schmidt and Scott Hardy declined to sign.

"I support the democratic process, the option for a referendum," said Smyka. "However, I do believe that we made a responsible decision in our development agreement."

City resident Jim Carruthers, among those spearheading the referendum, challenged commissioners to sign the petition at their Monday meeting. He said commissioners should support an opportunity for the public to vote.

"I was a little surprised that people refused to sign it ... it would have been a wise decision for them all to sign it. Their constituency is watching," he said.

Carruthers said about 30 people are collecting signatures and have amassed 500-800 names so far. They must gather 1,118 signatures of registered city voters by April 17.

Smyka said residents should sign the petition if they "have enough concerns" about the project.

"I think the important thing to remember is, it is an election that will cost the city money, and we are trying to be careful of that," she said. "While it is always great to know what the general populous thinks, I would hope that people would think long and hard about signing the petition.''

Elections can cost the city as much as $18,000. But on Aug. 8, the likely vote date, a state primary election is scheduled, said Benjamin Marentette, deputy city clerk.

"The costs are really negligible, under $500," he said.