Mayor concerned over David Street project


Henderson City Council member Garry Daeke reported at Monday’s council meeting that his committee, Community Development, had discussed the David Street CDBG Project and had asked for a timeline.

The city’s planning director, Erris Dunston, augmented Daeke’s report by informing the council that two bids for the lead-based paint removal part of the project had been received and that she was in the process of reviewing those bids. She also reported that once appraisals were approved that the project would be moving forward with acquisitions. She also reported that a second letter had been sent to the state regarding a potential conflict of interest of the only housing rehabilitation specialist to bid on the project. Dunston reported that no response had been received.

Henderson mayor Clem Seifert expressed concern over the project, stating, “We have several issues we need to fix.”

Seifert told the council that the project was not what the city had started out with, nor was it what the city had anticipated. He told members that it had hurt the city’s credibility with “some folks” at the state.

Seifert noted that the original eleven units that were to have been rehabilitated had been reduced to three.

“We’re trying to rehabilitate a neighborhood. Now it doesn’t look like we’re doing that at all,” Seifert stated.

Daeke commented that the project is different than what the city has done before. He informed Seifert and the council that there are landlords who do not wish to participate. Referencing a “carrot and stick” metaphor, he stated that the city needs enough “stick” to be able to enforce minimum housing standards.

Seifert wondered if a couple of hours could be scheduled to talk about the issues.

“It should not be this complicated,” he said.

“There’s a lot of holes in what we can and can’t do,” Daeke said. He added that there is a need to raise minimum housing standards.

The discussion ended with Seifert stating that he would attempt to schedule time to meet with the planning director, get some questions, and go to Raleigh.