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STAMFORD, Conn. Leaders of the city's more than 50-year-old Urban Redevelopment Commission are fighting the recommendation of a mayoral task force that the agency be disbanded. Among their arguments is the millions of dollars they say eliminating the commission would cost the city.
Commission Chairman Stephen Osman recently made a presentation to the Land Use Committee of the Board of Representatives, which is studying the recommendations and will make the final decision.
After reviewing nearly 50 city boards and commissions, Mayor Michael Pavia's Governance Task Force recommended in April to streamline city government by eliminating the Urban Redevelopment Commission.
It also proposed disbanding several other panels, and merging four commissions.
But disbanding the redevelopment commission has stirred the most controversy. The panel's members argue that the basis of the task force proposal is "seriously flawed," could cost Stamford millions of dollars and would hamper future redevelopment.
Osman told Land Use committee members that disbanding the commission could put the city at risk to lose up to $15 million in assets linked to federal funding.
"The URC has been in the forefront of redevelopment in Stamford for 60 years, and in the last 15 years in particular has created numerous projects, including redevelopment of Park Square West on Summer Street, considered the best building in the city," said Osman
"Elimination of the citys redevelopment agency will neither streamline government nor make it more efficient," Osman said. "Downtown redevelopment was made possible under old HUD [Housing and Urban Development] laws, and without our commission Stamford could lose between $10 and $15 million that would have to be paid back."
Commission Vice Chairman James Nixon agreed. "It doesn't make any sense. I think it's only being proposed because the mayor's task force doesn't have a full understanding of how much it would cost the city," Nixon said.
"We are also the only entity that has the time and understanding to create a long-term redevelopment vision for Stamford," Nixon said. "Other boards don't have the time to formulate long-term plans."
Osman said members of the mayor's task force "had their minds made up" at the start to disband the commission. But he's confident the Board of Representatives will study the issue carefully before making a final decision.
"If the mayor doesn't like the job we're doing, he can replace us," Osman said. "But the commission cannot be eliminated."
What is your view on disbanding the Urban Redevelopment Commission? Let us know in a comment below.
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