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BY CAROL ARNETT

The Florissant City Council held two public hearings at this week’s council meeting, one about the Community Development Block Grant and one about recording studios.

At the first hearing, Francine Andrews, from the Citizens Participation Commission (CPC), presented the proposed budget for the Community Development Block Grant (GDBG). The total grant amount is $200,000. The CPC is responsible for determining the budget for the grant.

The CPC recommends that $150,000 be used for rehabilitation of private properties, through the Home Improvement Loan Program. The program offers forgivable loans to eligible homeowners.

The CPC recommends that $10,000 be sued for fair housing activities. This will pay for real estate testing regarding steering allegation in the city.

Finally, the CPC recommends that $40,000 be used for general administration of the grant. This includes all costs association with administering the grant.

The council thanked the CPC for all the work they put in on the budget. “The grant amount has been declining,” said Councilman Tom Schneider, saying that he remembered when it was $500,000. “We need to let legislators know the importance of this grant.”

In the second hearing, the council heard from Building Commissioner John Morgan. “Approximately two months ago,” Morgan said, “some people came into our office asking what zoning they would need for a recording studio.” Currently, Morgan said, there is no zoning that allows a recording studio.

The Planning and Zoning Commission and city staff studied the issue and recommend amending the zoning code to allow recording studios as a special use in B-3 zoning districts.

Councilwoman Karen McKay said that her brother owned a recording studio on St. Francois Street in the 1980s. She pointed out that the studio was not a loud neighbor, saying you could not hear what was being recorded unless you were in the recording area.

Councilman Dan Sullivan said that the studio shouldn’t be too loud. “They’re recording for clarity and definition, not volume,” he said.

“There are not many studios in the area,” Schneider said. “This may bring people to the city,”

In other matters, Mayor Robert Lowery refuted salary figures cited by the Florissant Police Officers Association in their proposal for a pay increase. Lowery said the information was incorrect. “The pay raise the officers are receiving will put them above O’Fallon and Chesterfield,” Lowery said.

Lowery refuted some claims made by the Police Officer’s Association. In some cities, he said, the police do not get healthcare coverage.

Over 70 members of the Police Officers Association signed the salary proposal the association submitted to the city council, but Lowery said that not all of the police officers are in agreement. “Two thirds of the department are not complaining,” he said. “There is no place you can work that some people are not disgruntled.”

The Police Officers Association also recommended using funds from stop light cameras to help offset the cost of increase police salaries. “That money is not earmarked for anything,” Lowery said. “The professional way to do it is not to earmark it; it should to into the general fund.”

“If the cameras do not work to reduce accidents,” Lowery said, “they come out.”
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