PLACE Forum

UPDATE: changes, additional events & info

CHANGE OF LOCATION    — TODAY, TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 4:00 PM – THE 9/11 ATTACKS, IRAQI WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, AND THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE CIA New location: Held in AU’s new student center, room 2225. Open to all. Professor Loch Johnson of the University of Georgia will serve as Auburn University’s visiting Phi Beta Kappa scholar Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 26-27. Johnson is the Regents Professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia and the recipient of the university’s Meigs Prize for outstanding teaching as well as the Owens Award for research in the social sciences. He is senior editor of the international journal, “Intelligence and National Security,” and is the author of more than 150 articles and numerous books on U.S. national security, among them, “Seven Sins of American Foreign Policy, Handbook of Intelligence Studies, and Strategic Intelligence.” His visit to Auburn is cosponsored by Auburn’s Phi Beta Kappa Gamma chapter of Alabama, the university’s Honor College and the Department of Political Science. For more information, contact Cal Clark at 844-6460 or clarkcm@auburn.edu.

NEW EVENT – WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28, NOON – GREEN LUNCH SERIES: NORBERT LECHNER / FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE: SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE Held in AU’s new Student Center. Room 2218. Free & open to all.
The Office of Sustainability’s first Green Lunch of the new year, “Future of Architecture: Sustainable Architecture,” will be presented by guest speaker Norbert Lechner, former professor in the College of
Architecture, Design, and Construction; Fulbright senior specialist; and author of “Heating, Cooling, Lighting: Sustainable Design Methods for Architects.” Lechner states, “The use of energy is causing global
warming, and buildings use about 48 percent of all the energy in the U.S. Thus, buildings are the main cause of global warming. Fortunately, buildings can be designed at little cost to be much more energy efficient, and they can get most of the remaining energy directly from the sun.” Students, staff, faculty and members of the community are all welcome to attend.

NEW EVENT – WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28, 7:00 PM – ENVIRONMENTAL FILM Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. Free & open to all.     Please all come to see “Flow: For Love of Water,” (2007, 84 min) an excellent documentary about water and the social, political and environmental aspects connected with water. The film builds a case against the growing privatization of the world s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel. Can anyone really own water?

NEW EVENT – THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 6:00 PM – JAMES HOWARD KUNSTLER / MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION: HOW THE FINANCIAL CRISIS, ENERGY CHALLENGES & SUBURBAN SPRAWL ARE INTER-RELATED

Held at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art, Mont. Free & open to the general public.

6:00 – 7:00 pm / Wine & cheese gathering, book signing

7:00 – 8:00 pm / Kunstler presentation

The Hampstead Institute Speaker Series Presents a Free Public Presentation by James Howard Kunstler, author of The Long Emergency, World Made By Hand, Geography of Nowhere, Home from Nowhere, and City in Mind. For the event, Kunstler will bring his unique blend of humorous social commentary and cutting critiques about all things sprawl related to Montgomery for the first time. His multimedia presentation will focus on how the financial crisis, energy challenges, and suburban sprawl are all inter-related problems. But, rather than just identify problems, Kunstler will discuss the key steps that we can take to reverse the current challenges and embrace sustainable, time-honored development practices in the River Region.  Kunstler’s work has been featured on numerous national programs including The Colbert Report, CNN, The New York Times, and NPR. This is the first Montgomery appearance by the nationally-renowned speaker.    What is the Hampstead Institute? The Hampstead Institute is a non-profit corporation affiliated with the Hampstead development in Montgomery. Patterned after successful projects like the Seaside Institute, The Hampstead Institute offers River Region residents an exciting new resource for exploring the many opportunities that sustainable development practices bring to our communities. These opportunities will include events such as hands-on learning at Hampstead Farms, presentations on how to improve your family’s health and the local economy through natural food and products, and demonstrations of the latest green technology for home building and improvements. www.hampsteadinstitute.com www.townofhampstead.com Media Contact: Chad Emerson t.334.201.5241/ chad@townofhampstead.com

NEW EVENT – THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 6:30 pm – AUUF ‘GREEN PLANNING’ MEETING Held at the Busch Center, 504 Auburn Drive (Auburn Drive runs alongside the AUUF Hall, which is located at 450 E. Thach. The Busch Center is located just beyond the AUUF Hall parking lot.) All Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship/AUUF members and friends interested in helping with AUUF green work are invited. Meeting will include discussion of an upcoming Sunday service on ethical eating (March 1) and ideas for our Green Sanctuary environmental justice project.  Contact Jim Allen for more info (334-499-2380, vineyfig@knology.net).

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ACTION ALERT from Alabama Arise

Contact Your US Representative today!

The U.S. House of Representatives has scheduled a vote for Wed., Jan. 28, on the proposed economic recovery plan. Right now the plan includes an additional $19.2 million for Alabama child care for each of the next two years. The money would come in the Child Care Development Block Grant.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes about $3 billion over the next 2 - 3 years for Alabama programs (education, health, housing, etc.) that will not only help families make ends meet, but will also pump money quickly into the economy.

Contact your U.S. Representative by Tue., Jan. 27, and urge him to support the economic recovery plan and not allow any cuts in child care. If we fund child care adequately, parents can stay on the job and do a good job with the assurance that their children are in good hands.

Please call, email, or fax your US Representative today. To email your US Representative, go to the web site listed below your Representative and find a link to email or a form for you to complete or go to Alabama Arise’s website legislative action page and send an automatic message at: www.alarise.org.

District 1: Jo Bonner  / Phone: (202) 225-4931, Fax: (202) 225-0562 /http://bonner.house.gov/HoR/AL01/Contact+Jo/

District 2: Bobby Bright  /Phone: (202) 225-2901, Fax: (202) 225-8913  / http://bright.house.gov/contact/

District 3: Mike Rogers  / Phone: (202) 225-3261, Fax: (202) 226-8485  / http://www.house.gov/mike-rogers/contact.shtml

District 4: Robert B. Aderholt / Phone: (202) 225-4876, Fax: (202) 225-5587  /         http://aderholt.house.gov/?sectionid=195&sectiontree=195

District 5: Parker Griffith  / Phone: (202) 225-4801, Fax: (202) 225-4392 / http://griffith.house.gov/contact/index.shtml

District 6: Spencer Bachus  /Phone: (202) 225-4921, Fax: (202) 225-2082  / https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

District 7: Artur Davis /  Phone: (202) 225-2665, Fax: (202) 226-9567  / http://www.house.gov/arturdavis/zipauth.shtml

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Upcoming event: Southeast Land Trust Alliance Conference - March 25-26 in Auburn The 2009 Southeast Land Trust Conference is coming to Alabama on March 25-26 at Auburn University’s Dixon Conference.  Check out the conference schedule and details at http://www.lta.org (visit “events” on the webpage)

Alabama Cities Join Forces - Create the Alabama Green Initiative - Last week, several Birmingham area municipalities announced the formation of the Alabama Green Initiative (AGI), a  non-profit organization created to assist Metro Birmingham cities and Jefferson County in applying for green-only and stimulus grant monies from President Barack Obama’s upcoming stimulus  package.  AGI organizers cite low emission vehicles, public works projects and large scale community structures utilizing green-building standards as examples of what programs will be targeted.  For more information on the Alabama Green Initiative and an upcoming January 29th press conference to be held at Aldridge Botanical Gardens in Hoover - contact Lydia Wilbanks at 205-251-2225.

Job Opening - TNC Director of Philanthropy - The Nature Conservancy of Alabama is seeking a Director of Philanthropy.  To apply, by February 6^th submit a cover letter and resume to job #10678 at http://www.nature.org/careers.

Clean Water Partnership Water Conservation Kits - The Alabama Clean Water Partnership has water conservation kits available.  Each kit has information and tools available for checking for toilet leaks, conservation for lawn watering including a rain gauge, and a timer to save water when showering.  To request a free kit go to - http://www.cleanwaterpartnership.org/request-kit/

These four items courtesy of BEN – Bama Environmental News http://www.BamaNews.com

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Thanks for your interest and support.

Email:  placeforum@gmail.com
Web:   http://placeforum.org/blog

Jan. 27, 2009

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CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES:

Special Five Mill Referendum Set for January 27

Monthly Sewer Charges and Access Fees to Increase Effective April 1, 2009

 

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MONDAY, JAN. 26 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION   agenda: www.leeco.us
4:00 pm — work session / 6:00 pm — regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.

MONDAY, JAN. 26, 7:00 pm – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA

Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.

Agenda: annual meeting with Alabama legislators from our local districts.  Refreshments served.

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 27  — VOTE TODAY / CITY OF AUBURN ELECTION / FIVE-MILL TAX REFERENDUM

This referendum does not involve the addition of any new taxes, but instead allows voters to approve how existing tax monies are used.  For details, see: Special Five Mill Referendum Set for January 27.

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 12:30 PM – PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON WATER POLICY & MANAGEMENT

Held in Room 727 of the State House, Mont. Open to the public.

NOTE: This will be the last meeting of this committee before the legislative session.

Committee Members: Sen. Kim S. Benefield, CHAIR; Rep. Greg Canfield, VICE CHAIR;  Sen. T.D. “Ted” Little; Sen. “Walking” Wendell Mitchell;  Sen. Arthur Orr; Sen. Quinton T. Ross, Jr.;  Sen. Harri Anne Smith; Rep. Chad Fincher ; Rep. Thomas E. Jackson; Rep. Richard J. Laird; Rep. Artis J. “A.J.” McCampbell; Rep. W.F. “Frank” McDaniel; Rep. Jeffrey McLaughlin.
Agenda includes:

12:30 – 1:00  COMMITTEE BUSINESS; Subcommittee Reports  

1:00 – 1:20  DISCUSSION :  -Inland Waterways Bill; -Water Resource Assessments, -Studies, Data     Collection and Storage Subcommittee Resolution; -Other Business

1:20 – 1:30   DISCUSSION OF DRAFT COMMITTEE REPORT                     

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 2:00 PM – PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY / STATEWIDE ENERGY DAY PRESS CONFERENCE    Held in the Joint Briefing Room, (Stars Wars Room), 8th Floor, Alabama State House.  Open to all. Press conference follows meeting.  Agenda: Meeting of the Legislative Joint Energy Committee (Legislators) for consideration and approval of  “2009 Joint Energy Committee Legislative Initiative.” Immediately following this meeting the Energy Committee will hold a press conference to release the 2009 Legislative Energy Initiative.  More info: Kristen Rector, Executive Assistant to Rep. Greg Wren,  repgregwren@yahoo.com, 334-395-0123.

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 3:00 pm — OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION   Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. agenda: www.opelika.org

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 4:00 PM –  THE 9/11 ATTACKS, IRAQI WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, AND THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE CIA     Held in the exhibit lounge of Foy Hall (formerly Foy Student Union).  Open to all.   Professor Loch Johnson of the University of Georgia will serve as Auburn University’s visiting Phi Beta Kappa scholar Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 26-27. Johnson is the Regents Professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia and the recipient of the university’s Meigs Prize for outstanding teaching as well as the Owens Award for research in the social sciences. He is senior editor of the international journal, “Intelligence and National Security,” and is the author of more than 150 articles and numerous books on U.S. national security, among them, “Seven Sins of American Foreign Policy, Handbook of Intelligence Studies, and Strategic Intelligence.” His visit to Auburn is cosponsored by Auburn’s Phi Beta Kappa Gamma chapter of Alabama, the university’s Honor College and the Department of Political Science. For more information, contact Cal Clark at 844-6460 or clarkcm@auburn.edu.

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 4:00 PM — Littleton-Franklin Lecture: Natalie Angier / The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science          Held in AU’s Science Center Complex Auditorium, Roosevelt Drive. Free & open to the public.  http://www.auburn.edu/littleton-franklin/       Natalie Angier started her writing career at the New York Times covering science stories and ended up winning the Pulitzer Prize for a series of 10 feature articles on a wide array of scientific topics from the biology of scorpions to the importance of parasites in evolution to the ubiquitous effect of philandering in the animal kingdom. She has written a plethora of books including Natural Obsession, an inside look at the high-throttle world of cancer research, The Beauty of the Beastly, a look at the multitudinous, mostly invertebrate creatures we’d rather forget, and Woman: An Intimate Geography, a celebration of the female body and biology. In 2007 Houghton Mifflin published The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science, a guide to the fundamental concepts of modern science that researchers in all the major scientific disciplines, from physics to chemistry to biology to geology, wish that everybody understood about their work. Angier has received many notable awards including the American Association for the Advancement of Science prize for excellence in science journalism, the Exploratorium’s Public Understanding of Science award, the Lowell Thomas Gold Medal for travel writing, and the Lewis Thomas award for distinguished writing in the life sciences. In her free time she teaches at Cornell University in the Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large post, studies Spanish, and practices weightlifting.  This event is part of a semester-long Darwin Celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.”  The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences.  Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
– Parking areas nearest the auditorium are the lot in front of Comer Hall on the corner of Roosevelt and College Streets,and the Library parking deck off Roosevelt. Tiger Transit buses (Charcoal Line) run between the Jules-Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts and campus regularly until 6:00 pm weekdays. Persons parking in the Museum lot should be at a bus stop by about 5:30 in order to be sure to catch the last bus back to their car. The nearest bus stop to the COS Auditorium is on Mell Street at Roosevelt.

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 6:00 PM – TRAVELING FILM FESTIVAL AT ART MUSEUM    Held at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art (http://jcsm.auburn.edu/index.php ). Free & open to all. Complimentary snack provided during intermission break at 7:00 pm.   JCSM will present the Southern Arts Federation’s second annual Short Circuit Traveling Film festival, theonly program that spotlights short films created by filmmakers living and working in the Southeast. This event, is comprised of 12 short films, ranging from fiction and animation to experimental and documentary, all of which were selected for their artistic merit by a panel of media arts professionals. For more information, visit this link http://www.southarts.org .

 

TUESDAY,  JAN. 27 , 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE  www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/ Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.

 

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28, 12:30 PM – WOMEN’S STUDIES EVENT / DR. PAM MURRAY: FOR GLORY AND BOLIVAR: THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF MANUELA SAENZ, 1797-1856    Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2216.  Brown bag lunch.   Women’s Studies Events are free and open to all. Students invited to attend.  
Dr. Pam Murray, Assistant professor of Latin American history, University of Alabama at Birmingham, will talk about will talk about her new biography of the woman who “liberated the liberator”, Simon Bolivar’s mistress, Dona Manuela Saenz.  For Glory and Bolivar: The Remarkable Life of Manuela Sáenz, 1797-1856 (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2008). For more info: 844-1974 or 844-6647; lco0001@auburn.edu.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/index.html

 

THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 8:30 AM – AU BOARD OF TRUSTEES   / agenda:  http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html     Held at the AUM Campus, Montgomery; ph: 334-844-4866. Open to all.

 

THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 10:00 AM – AUBURN LIBRARY BOARD   Held in the Library Board Room, Auburn Public Library. Open to all.

 

THURSDAY, JAN. 29, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC      Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.   Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society.

 

THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 1:45 – 3:45 PM — AUTHOR READING/BOOK SIGNING:  NANCI KINCAID      Held at the Auburn Public Library.  Free & open to all.     The Auburn Public Library will host a reading and book signing with author Nanci Kincaid, who will read from her latest book, Eat, Drink and Be From Mississippi: A Novel.  Nanci Kincaid is the author of Crossing Blood, Balls, Pretending the Bed Is a Raft (made into a feature film), Verbena, and As Hot As It Was You Ought to Thank Me. 

 

FRIDAY, JAN. 30, 10:00 – 11:00 AM – LECTURE: LOGISTICS FOR DELIVERING HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
Held in AU’s Shelby Center, Room 3210.  Free & open to all.
Burcu Balcik, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences at Northwestern University, will present “Equitable Routing Decisions in Humanitarian Relief”. Her lecture is hosted by Auburn University’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. In her talk, Balcik will introduce the “last mile distribution problem,” which addresses making equitable vehicle routing and delivery scheduling decisions for relief supplies. She will present a mathematical model and a simulated annealing-based heuristic, as well as an overview of incorporating equity in operations research models and routing applications that consider equity. A majority of operations research applications and models focus on performance metrics and objectives based on effectiveness and efficiency. Equity is a key goal of nonprofit and public sector operations that has been studied less than effectiveness and efficiency, particularly in the area of humanitarian relief. Balcik earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering from Middle East Technical University in Turkey. She received her doctoral degree in industrial engineering from the University of Washington. Her research interests include developing mathematical models and solution methods to improve the performance of nonprofit supply chain and the transportation and logistics applications in disaster relief and food bank operations.

 

FRIDAY, JAN. 30, 7:00 PM — GNU BREW FEATURING AUTHOR BREWSTER ROBERTSON    Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.  www.thegnusroom.com     A freelancer, Robertson regularly writes about the arts, writers and writing for Publisher’s Weekly and many other well-known periodicals. Over recent months he has published articles and stories in Apostrophe; The Los Angeles Times (Life and Style); USA Weekend magazine; Southern Book Trade; Bookpage; Real People magazine; The Chattahoochee Review; Beaufort/Lowcountry magazine; The Sun News (Knight Ridder newspapers, Myrtle Beach, SC); The Island Packet (McClatchy Newspapers, Hilton Head Island, SC); and The Beaufort Gazette (McClatchy, Beaufort, SC), among others. Winner (for his debut novel Rainy Days and Sundays) of the first annual Golden Eye Literary Prize (honoring the memory of the celebrated Georgia novelist Carson McCullers), Robertson is a 1995 Pushcart Prize nominee and nominee for the 1995 and 1996 Best American Essays. All three of Robertson’s novels have been nominated for the Library of Virginia Literary Awards - Rainy Days and Sundays (in 2001), The Grail Mystique (in 2003), and A Posturing of Fools (in 2005). For more information on Robertson, please visit www.brewstermiltonrobertson.com.   

 

SATURDAY, JAN. 31, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM —- 8th ANNUAL CULTURAL CROSSROADS ALABAMA HISTORY SYMPOSIUM    Held at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Registration includes refreshments and lunch: $30/MMFA members; $35/general public; $20/students & faculty.  Auburn professors Angela Lakwete and Patience Essah of the AU Dept of History and Gary Mullen of the AU Dept of Entomology will present talks at the eighth annual Cultural Crossroads, an Alabama history symposium. Titled “Settling In,” the program will focus on the settlement and early development period of Alabama, 1820s-1840s.  More info: contact AU’s Caroline Marshall Draughon Center at 844-4946.

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CITY OF AUBURN / RECENT GROWTH MANAGEMENT & PLANNING DOCUMENTS

*Comprehensive Planning in the City of Auburn January 8, 2009

*FY 2008 Annual Report to the Planning Commission  (for comparision, see FY 2007 Annual Report to the Planning Commission)

*Auburn Interactive Growth Model Final Report

 

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

 

ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.

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Thanks for your interest and support.

Email:  placeforum@gmail.com
Web:   http://placeforum.org/blog

Jan. 26, 2009

 

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CORRECTION: TUESDAY, JAN. 20, 5:00 PM —  INAUGURAL CELEBRATION
Although the AUUF Hall has been reserved as a venue for this Inaugural Celebration, this event is not sponsored by, nor an official function of, the AUUF. Please also note the event is open to all who wish to celebrate the inauguration.
Held at 450 E. Thach, Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall. Come celebrate!
Open to everyone who wishes to celebrate the Inauguration.   Everyone welcome. If you wish, bring a potluck dish and/or beverage, but you’re welcome regardless!  We will have the doors open at 5:00 PM, especially for those who wish to come directly from work. We plan to have video of the actual Inaugural Ceremony and other historic events pertinent to the occasion running throughout the evening. We will have a “well wishes card” available for all to sign and to add their own personal note to the Obama Family as they begin their life in the White House.  Great conversations, music, dancing….celebration. Come dressed as you wish - from work and play clothes to formal attire.  Come early, leave late, come late, leave early.  We want to fill the hall and the pages of the “well wishes card” to let the new First Family know that in the Auburn/Opelika, Alabama area we support our new President.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:PLACE WEBSITE REPAIRED
For a few hours yesterday the PLACE website (http://placeforum.org/blog/) had technical difficulties which prevented some items, such as Lisa Brouillette’s Jan. 16 column, from being viewed. The site should be working now. (If you have problems with it, please notify placeforum@gmail.com. Thank you.)

AUBURN CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY - ITEMS OF INTEREST
Tuesday, Jan. 20 — Auburn City Council chambers, 141 N. Ross St.
Full agenda & packet online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/
6:00 pm:  Sewer Rate Study
At the 6:00 pm Committee of the Whole meeting there will be a presentation on the recently completed Sewer Rate Study. This will provide information supporting the proposed sewer rate increase, which will be voted on at Tuesday’s regular 7:00 pm council meeting. Also included will be details regarding Auburn’s current infrastructure and financing for future infrastructure improvements. This information was first presented at a December 2008 sewer rate workshop and can be reviewed online at: http://www.auburnalabama.org/announce/SewerRateWorkshopPresentation.pdf
7:00 PM — 2nd reading & vote on sewer rate increase;
West Pace conditional use request for gas station and convenience store;
Cotswolds’ rezoning requests and development agreement
These items are on the regular 7:00 pm meeting agenda.

AUBURN 2030 PLAN UNDERWAY SOON
Auburn 2030, which will be an update of the Auburn 2020 plan, will be underway soon. (http://www.auburnalabama.org/2020/) It is estimated to be completed by mid-year. The goals defined by Auburn 2030 will be used to guide the city’s future, and will be referred to as the city prepares a new Future Land Use Plan and Comprehensive Plan for its growth and development. The work on these two other documents, done by city staff and a Comprehensive Plan task force/committee, is scheduled for the second half of this year.  More details on these projects will be included in future PLACE emails.
 
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Thanks for your interest and support.

Email:  placeforum@gmail.com
Web:   http://placeforum.org/blog

Jan. 19, 2009

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WEEK OF JAN. 19, 2009  — MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES

COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE — Auburn faces same issues as last year
(first published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Friday, Jan 16, 2009)
http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/01/18/column-by-lisa-brouillette-auburn-faces-same-issues-as-last-year-1-16-09/

CHRIS NEWLAND APPOINTED TO NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL SPECIAL PANEL
Chris Newland (AU Dept of Psychology) appointed to a special panel for the National Research Council, a division of the National Academy of Sciences. This panel will provide a comprehensive, year-long review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s policy for regulating perchlorethylene (perc) a chemical that has long been associated with dry cleaning or certain industrial operations. For full story, go to: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cla/tigertales/detail.cfm?newsarticleid=159

 

JOHN ARCHIBALD COLUMN / BIRMINGHAM NEWS – JAN. 15, 2009
http://blog.al.com/archiblog/2009/01/morgans_conscience_still_speak.html

 

ASH SPILL HITS ALABAMA
Last week, a Stevenson, Ala. Tennessee Valley Authority waste pond ruptured, releasing chemical byproducts of the coal “scrubbing” process. This pond failure follows on the heels of a similar tragic incident in Tennessee just before Christmas.  John Wathen, Hurricane Creekkeeper and former chair of the Citizen Coal Council, has been on the case. He’s flown over both facilities, thanks to Southwings, and taken pictures of the spills.
Conservation Alabama released a statement and call to action in response to the incident last Friday [Jan. 9, 2009]. You can find our statement here.
From the Jan. 2009 issue of ALABAMA CONSERVATIONIST E-newsletter

 

BALDWIN-21 APPROVES ZONING — BARELY
Sandwiched between Christmas and New Year’s, the citizens of Baldwin County Fire District 21 barely approved zoning authority on December 30. With 32 percent voter turnout, the referendum passed 159-143, or 52.6 percent to 47.3 percent. High praise goes to Max Reed and the citizens of the Magnolia Springs area who went door-to-door, made phone calls, and put up signs and fliers throughout the district.
Conservation Alabama is pleased to provide funding to help underwrite this successful effort. Hopefully other areas of the county and state will look to take control of the future of their communities by seeking local zoning authority. With a new constitution, such efforts would be easier to achieve.
From the Jan. 2009 issue of ALABAMA CONSERVATIONIST E-newsletter

 

CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE:  Portion of Cox Road to Close January 20 - March 1

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MONDAY, JAN. 19, 7:30 – 8:30 AM — Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. Scholarship Breakfast
Keynote speaker:  Bryon Franklin, Auburn Board of Trustees
Held at the Hotel at AU & Dixon Conference Center.  Individual Tickets: $25.00 and Table for 10 $250.00.
Scholarship breakfast sponsored by the Auburn Alumni Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators.

 

MONDAY, JAN. 19, NOON – 19th ANNUAL MLK, JR. COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM
Held at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 541 Pitts St, Auburn. All are welcome.
Speaker: Christopher Senie, Attorney at Law, Westborough, MA. This event is sponsored by Rose of Sharon OES 914 and C-Move (Citizens Making Opportunities Visible for Excellence).

 

MONDAY, JAN. 19, 7:00 pm – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Held at the East Alabama Health Resource Center.
7:00 pm: Meet’n'Greet
7:30 pm: General meeting - Off-site Voting Study Consensus

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 20 AND WEDNESDAY, JAN 21 — NON-POINT SOURCE CONFERENCE
Held at Renaissance Hotel Conference Center,  Mont.  Free, but registration required.
Registration: http://www.cleanwaterpartnership.org/adem/sourceConf.php
Conference info: http://www.cleanwaterpartnership.org/events/?eventID=34&date=01/20/2009
Alabama Clean Water Partnership and ADEM will be holding the 20th  Annual Non-Point Source Conference: “A 20 Year Journey of Alabama’s Non-Point Source Program”.

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 20, 5:00 PM —  INAUGURAL CELEBRATION
Held at 450 E. Thach, Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall. (Note: Although the AUUF Hall has been reserved as a venue for this celebration of the Inauguration, this event is not an official AUUF function.)  Open to everyone who wishes to celebrate the Inauguration.  Come celebrate! Everyone welcome. If you wish, bring a potluck dish and/or beverage, but you’re welcome regardless!  We will have the doors open at 5:00 PM, especially for those who wish to come directly from work. We plan to have video of the actual Inaugural Ceremony and other historic events pertinent to the occasion running throughout the evening. We will have a “well wishes card” available for all to sign and to add their own personal note to the Obama Family as they begin their life in the White House.  Great conversations, music, dancing….celebration. Come dressed as you wish - from work and play clothes to formal attire.  Come early, leave late, come late, leave early.  We want to fill the hall and the pages of the “well wishes card” to let the new First Family know that in the Auburn/Opelika, Alabama area we support our new President.

TUESDAY, JAN. 20  – AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
Committee of the Whole:  6:00  pm / Regular meeting: 7:00 pm
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St.. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/
Committee of the Whole agenda includes:
SEWER RATE STUDY. Presentation.Water Resource Management Director Laura Koon and Professional Resource Management Group, Inc.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage License. Nazrana Inc. dba/Philly Connection. 2328 South College Street, Unit 2. 040 - Retail Beer (On or Off Premises) License.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Sewer Ordinance. Establish and set monthly sewer usage charges and sewer system access fees. SECOND READING.
b. Annexation. Ronald and Diane Cooper. 1633 Lee Road 080. Property Located south of Bud Black Road (Lee Road 080). 12.5 Acres. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
c. Zoning. The Cotswolds. JEDD Land Company, LLC. Fred Peak (Authorized Representative). Property Located at the current terminus of the right-of-way for Richland Road. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) Rezone from Rural (R) to Comprehensive Development District (CDD). 99.1 Acres.
(2) Rezone from Rural (R) to Development District Housing (DDH). 311.6 Acres.
(3) Establish Planned Development District (PDD) in a Comprehensive Development District (CDD) and Development District Housing (DDH) District. 410.7 Acres.
d. Zoning Ordinance Text Changes. Article II (Definitions) and Article IV (General Regulations). Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
e. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish Six (6) Stop Signs and Three (3) Yield Signs. Solamere Subdivision. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
f. General Obligation Warrants, Series 2008-F. $2,031,270. Revise Amortization Schedule. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Change Meeting Date. Second Meeting in March. March 24, 2009.
b. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) Daniel Phipps. Jerome Anderson (Authorized Representative). Road Service Use- Car Wash (Dean Road Car Wash) in the Commercial Conservation (CC) zoning district. Property Located at 231 North Dean Road, Suite 1.
 (2) Dilworth Development. Gregory Forthofer (Authorized Representative). Subdivision Amenity-Playground and Private Park Area (Amenity Lot – Tutton Hill) in the Limited Development District (LDD) zoning district. Property Located at 720 Oakdale Drive in Tutton Hill Subdivision.
(3) West Pace, LLC. Keith Maxwell (Authorized Representative). Road Service Use-Convenience Store and Gas Station (West Pace Village Station) in the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) zoning district. Property Located at the northeast corner of South College Street and Shell Toomer Parkway.
(4) Hoke V. Harper. Randall Phillips (Authorized Representative). Commercial and entertainment Use-Sports and Recreation Instruction (Martial Arts Studio) in the Industrial (I) zoning district. Property Located at 2515 East Glenn Avenue, Suite 204.
c. Development Agreement and Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Planning Department. JEDD Land Company, LLC. (Fred Peak) The Cotswolds Phase II Development Agreement. Property Located at the current terminus of the right-of-way for Richland Road.
(2) Contracts.
(a) Information Technology Department. Enterprise License Agreement (ELA). Unlimited GIS Software and Maintenance. ESRI Inc. $35,000.
(b) Finance Department. Uniform Rental and Cleaning. ARAMARK Services. Lowest Responsible Bidder. Three-Year Contract.
(c) Public Works Department. Boykin Center HVAC Renovations Project. Associated Mechanical Contractors, Inc. $239,389.
d. Drainage and Utility Easements, Sidewalk and Street Easement. Acceptance.
(1) EDR Auburn LLC c/o Marvin F. Poer & Company. Sterling Apartments Subdivision. Drainage and Utility, Sidewalk, and Street Easement.
(2) Cleveland Brothers, Inc. Grove Hill eleventh Addition and Redivision of Grove Hill Tenth Addition, Lot 1. Drainage and Utility Easements.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
Adjourn to Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 11:30 AM to canvass results of Special Municipal Bond Election held on January 27, 2009.

TUESDAY, JAN. 20  – OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:35 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika.  Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org/ 
Work session agenda includes:
(1) -  a.  Resolution, request to fill Tree-trimmer position
(2) -  B.  Resolution, change order – drainage project
(3) -  a.  Robins & Morton, Maintenance building & Softball field.;  b.  General updates
(4) -  Discuss/review CM agenda items of 1/20/09
a.  Remarks by Mayor;   b.  General business;  c. Bids;  d. Resolutions;  e. Ordinances;  f. Board Appointments.
(5) -  Discussion: a.   New / Old Business;  b.   Board appointments; c.   Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
READING OF MINUTES  –  Council Meeting of January 6th, 2009
UNFINISHED BUSINESS  -
REMARKS BY THE MAYOR -  Gary Fuller
a.  Appointments to the Planning Commission – Jesse Seroyer and Al Cook.
b.  Monthly Building Inspection report for December, 2008.
c.  Monthly Financial Summary for December, 2008.
CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS - (Limit comments to five minutes or less)     Bob Shuman
REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
COMMITTEE REPORTS
GENERAL BUSINESS
a.  Public hearing, amend zoning ordinance and zoning map to reflect GC-2 along the East and West segments of Society Hill Road.
AWARDING OF BIDS
1.  Contract for construction of maintenance building and site work for the softball complex as part of the new SportsPlex and Aquatic Center.
2.  Purchase a ¾ ton truck for the L&P department.
RESOLUTIONS -  Guy Gunter
1.  Authorize payment to the RSA for the City’s portion of past military service.
2.  Set public hearing date for fixing cost of repairs to 3807 Heritage Place.
3.  Special appropriation to the Opelika School System for our MLK celebration.
4.  Amend the term expiration date for a Utility Board appointment.
5.  Designated City personal property as surplus and authorize disposal.
ORDINANCES –   Guy Gunter
1.  Amend zoning ordinance and zoning map, GC-2 on Society Hill Rd. – 1st Reading.
APPOINTMENTS –
1.  Tree Commission -  reappoint Lehman Bass and Helen Levett.
2.  P&R Board -  reappoint Clay Humphries.
3.  Board of Education -  reappoint O.D. Alsobrook.
4.  Medical Clinic Board -  reappoint Dr. Clint Hurd
ADJOURN

WEDNESDAY, JAN.  21 and THURSDAY, JAN.22 — UPLAND RAINWATER BANKING CONFERENCE
Upland Rainwater Banking: An Alternative to Damming Larger Perennial Streams for Municipal, Industrial, and Agricultural Water Sources
Held at the Lake Guntersville State Park Conference Center. Pre-registration preferred, but registration upon arrival will be accepted as space allows.
Co-sponsored by the Auburn University Butler/Cunningham Endowment, the Auburn University Water Resources Center, the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and the Alabama Farmers Federation.
The purpose of this conference is to explore the potential for capturing overland flow of rainfall from upland, rural watersheds in complexes of small impoundments to provide water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use.  This technique has been used very successfully at some places in the United States and several other countries to increase water supply.  Because there is relatively high rainfall and resulting overland flow across Alabama, water harvesting could be a particularly attractive source of water for municipalities in areas without access to significant sources of groundwater.  Water would usually be harvested from privately-owned land, and water harvesting could provide a source of income for property owners.  Speakers will discuss hydrologic, environmental, legislative, regulatory, and socioeconomic issues related to water harvesting.
This conference should be of interest to:
–Federal, state, and local officials concerned with water quality, scarcity, distribution, and policy
–Organizations of private citizens concerned with water quality and other water-related issues
–Representatives from water-related industry
–Scientists and researchers from the academic community as well as the private sector
–University students in water-related areas of study
Info about the conference, including an agenda of all presenters and topics,and links to the on-line registration form and the Guntersville State Park webpage for making lodging arrangements:  http://www.nrmdi.auburn.edu/water/conference/2009/.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21, 11:30 AM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21,  NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD   www.auburnheritage.org
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).  Members are encouraged and invited to attend.  

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21, 3:00 PM – DR. BERT HITCHCOCK / DEAD OR ALIVE: THE CODE DUELLO IN EAST ALABAMA
Held in AU’s Special Collections and Archives, Ralph Brown Draughon Library. Discover Auburn Lecture Series. Free & open to all.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21, 6:00 pm  –  LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
Held at the Elks Club, 1944 Opelika Road.
6:00 pm — buffet dinner ($9.00; tax and tip included)
6:50 pm – Program:  Martha Faupel, Executive Director, Food Bank of East Alabama.
Martha Faupel grew up in the Congo as the daughter of missionary parents and came face to face with the impact that hunger can have on people’s lives.  After moving to Auburn in 1982, she spent five years working with Presbyterian Community Ministries and got acquainted with hunger in our community.  She went to work at the Food Bank in 1995 and found a place where she could make the most impact on fighting hunger.
–The Food Bank is a non-profit distribution center that distributes donated and purchased food through 187 agencies, including our own Community Market.  Through heavy use of volunteers, the Food Bank makes good use of donated money.  Of every dollar in their budget, 96 cents goes for food.  Every dollar buys 14 pounds of nutritious food and more than 300,000 pounds (equivalent of  12 tractor-trailer loads) are distributed each month.  Their budget has increased nearly ten-fold from its begininning of $77,650 in  1994.  The needs are still not being met and the current economic crisis has made things worse, with donations down and unemployment up.

THURSDAY, JAN. 22, NOON  — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Held in Bruno’s meeting room, Auburn.  Open to all.  http://www.lwval.org/eastalabama/index.html
Agenda: Brown Bag Lunch, to complete consensus on Off-site Voting Study, if needed.

THURSDAY, JAN. 22, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society.

THURSDAY, JAN. 22, 4:00 pm — OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Note: Opelika PC regular meeting to be held Tuesday, Jan. 27, 3:00 pm.
Agenda includes:
 I.   Elect Officers to Planning Commission (Chairman, Vice Chairman)
A.   PLATS (preliminary and prel. & final) – Public Hearing
1.   Wyndham Industrial Park S/D, First Rev. of Lot 2, 4 lots, Gateway Drive, Wyndham Properties, LLC, P/F approval
2.   Collinwood S/D, First Addition, Resub Lots 73,75,76, 2 lots, West Collinwood Circle, Mary S. Drake, P/F approval
3.   Milespoint S/D, South 3rd Street, 1 lot, Troy Booth, P/F approval
 B.  FINAL PLAT APPROVAL
4.   Gates S/D, 34 lots, Lee Road 147, Debra Garrett Pinkard, Final approval
5.   Stevens Street S/D, 1st Addition, 2 lots, Stevens Street, Jacob Stevens, Final approval
C.  CONDITIONAL USE
6.  Marsh Real Estate & Investments, 115 South 8th Street,, Residential in C-1 zone
7.  Marsh Real Estate & Investments, 833 South Railroad Ave., Residential in C-1 zone
8.  Troy Booth, 200 South 3rd Street, R-4, Group Home
D.  AMENDMENT TO ZONING ORDINANCE  - Public Hearing
9.  Amend Section 8.18 Planned Unit Development Regulations, Subsection C. Applicability, by adding the following sentence:  If any development is located in either a Gateway Corridor 1 or Gateway Corridor 2 Overlay District, the land use categories of Section 7.3.C. Use Categories shall apply.
E.   OTHER BUSINESS
10. Nancy Willingham, 13 Samford Avenue, C-3, GC-2, Review temporary conditional use permit approved on June 24, 2008

THURSDAY, JAN. 22, 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. Note: The Board meets on the1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.

FRIDAY, JAN. 23 — LEWIS NORDAN AND THE HEARTBREAKING LAUGHTER OF TRANSCENDENCE AND HOPE     http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cah/symposium.htm
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM / Symposium
7:00 PM / KEYNOTE: Lewis Nordan “Don’t Cry For Me Itta Bena”, with special guests Hal Crowther and Clyde Edgerton.
Held at AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center.  Free & open to the public. Info: www.auburn.edu/cah  or 334-844-4946.
Participants: Marcel Arbeit, Barbara A. Baker, Manual Broncano, Mary Carney, Hal Crowther, John Dufresne, Edward J. Dupuy, Clyde Edgerton, Roberta Maguire, Lee Martin, Constance Relihan, Robert Rudnicki, Terrell L. Tebbetts. Sponsored by AU’s Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, College of Liberal Arts.   Contact: Maiben Beard, 334-844-4903, meeb0015@auburn.edu,  http://www.auburn.edu/cah.

FRIDAY, JAN. 23, 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM — “Our Call to Conscious: Dreaming with the Courage to Act” - Roundtable Discussion
Held in AU’s Multicultural Center Reading Room. Free & open to all. Bring your lunch.
Facilitated by Professor Chippewa Thomas and Shakeer Abdullah, this interactive education program promotes civil dialogue and explores ways to improve the campus climate for all AU students. The legacy of Dr. King’s work provides the opportunity to reflect on the principals of social justice as the foundation for civic engagement, community empowerment, diversity, non-violence, and peacemaking.  To achieve Dr. King’s call for social harmony and equity demands the heartfelt dedication of individuals and organizations with a vision for the future.

FRIDAY, JAN. 23, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING ERIC TAYLOR
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach.  www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Eric Taylor, go to www.sundilla.org.

SATURDAY, JAN. 24, 9:00 – 10:00 AM — “Removing Walls/Building Bridges” :Seminar and Panel Discussion
Held at AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Free & open to all.
Seating is Limited: Pre-registration required, 334-844-5042.
Removing Walls/Building Bridges — Facilitator: Dr. Curtis May, Reconciliation Ministries.
Public discussions can help participants learn how to begin the process of reconciliation in their communities, and foster an understanding of the concept.  Public forums and community dialogue are now widely embraced as a way to address a variety of broken relationships and as a path toward reconciliation within and between communities. The use of a balanced range of authentic oral history enables listeners to have their own perceptions and beliefs acknowledged while experiencing contrasting views in a credible but non-threatening context. Ideally this is supported by expert facilitation and open debate. We invite you to join us for this interactive and stimulating event.

SATURDAY, JAN. 24, 3:00 PM – DR. LEWIS NORDAN /READING & BOOK SIGNING
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 South Gay Street, Auburn.  Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
AU alum Dr. Lewis Nordan will be reading & signing books at The Gnu’s Room. Copies of his books can be ordered ahead for signing.  A Southern icon, Dr. Nordan is perhaps best known for the collection, Music of the Swamp (1987), which garnered him a best fiction prize from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters, a Notable Fiction award from the American Library Institute of Arts and Letters, and the Porter Fund Prize. Music of the Swamp exemplified his development of the art of adding the message of hope and transcendence through comedy and pathos to the master storytelling of his childhood experiences in Itta Bena, Mississippi - the basis for Nordan’s imaginary town of Arrow Catcher, Mississippi. Dr. Nordan’s body of work includes Wolf Whistle, winner of the Southern Book Award and the Notable Book Award from the ALA; The All-Girls Football Team; Arrow-Catcher Fair; Sharpshooter Blues (compared to The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and the best of Flannery O’Conner); Sugar Among the Freaks; and Lightning Song.  Nordan’s memoir is entitled Boy with Loaded Gun.

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Thanks for your interest and support.

Email:  placeforum@gmail.com
Web:   http://placeforum.org/blog

Jan. 18, 2009

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Auburn faces same issues as last year

Many local issues for 2009 are hold-overs from 2008.

Auburn is still grappling with the West Pace project, a proposed sewer rate increase and the public’s concerns about crime rates. These items may be on next Tuesday’s council agenda.

Lee County is still working on its first-ever comprehensive plan, and will hold town hall meetings in March to gather public comments about that plan.

The overarching hold-over issue, though, is the economy. And opinions about the future of our local economy differ widely.

I’ve heard claims that Auburn and Lee County have a rosy future, especially when compared to the rest of the state, the region, the country. Many who espouse this view are local business owners, politicians, represent business associations, or are involved in local economic development.

They note new businesses have opened and other openings are scheduled in the near future, especially with the expected phase-in of BRAC. They argue that the local real estate market is in good shape. Further, they say many local builders are still making a good living.

One can’t help but wonder, though, whether their analyses are colored by fear that admitting anything negative about the economy would be self-reinforcing, would make the situation worse.

As you’d expect, not everyone agrees with the ‘all is well’ view. Many see a bleaker economic picture.

Interestingly, many with an ‘all-is-not-well’ view also are local business owners; some even are involved in local development. Also included are those who often first feel the brunt of an economic downturn – sub-contractors, manual laborers, part-time workers, students, those on fixed incomes or with few family resources.

As evidence, this group points to the recent businesses that have closed, the jobs lost, the many empty commercial buildings, the vacant and unfinished local subdivisions, low interest rates paid on savings, the plans deferred or cancelled due to economic stresses. They note the severe cut in state education funding and its negative impact on our local economy.

They cite the drop in real estate sales prices, the longer time needed to sell a property, and the slow-down in local construction as both significant and worrying. The increase in number and frequency of local foreclosure proceedings, including those in upscale local subdivisions, also is considered a telling indicator.

Opinions may differ on the degree of severity of the situation, but these issues are real. Our business leaders and elected officials cannot simply chorus that ‘all is well.’ They must acknowledge and address the real problems that are emerging. And they must pay special attention to the more vulnerable among us in this time of change.

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UPDATE: Additional events & info

ADDITIONAL EVENTS
TOMORROW, THURSDAY, JAN. 15, 6:00 PM — STATE REP. PEBBLIN WARREN / TOWN HALL MEETING
Held at the Boykin Center, 400 Boykin Street, Auburn.
All are invited to attend this town hall meeting with State Rep. Pebblin Warren, who represents AL House District 82 (which includes parts of Bullock, Lee & Macon counties).
For info about Rep. Warren, go to : http://www.pebblinwarren.com/ and/or http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd082.html
[Note:  District 82 includes much of Auburn west of College Street. To see a map of the House districts, go to http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/housemaps2001/house_districts_2001.pdf.]

TOMORROW, THURSDAY, JAN 15, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — TOWN HALL MEETING / FROM DR. KING TO MR. PRESIDENT: THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN JOURNEY FROM CIVIL RIGHTS TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2222.  The public is invited.
Moderator: David Carter, AU assoc. professor of history.
Participants: a panel of university experts on race and politics including Professor Susana Morris of the English Dept., Dean of Students and Poli-Sci Professor Johnny Green, Wylin Dassie of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, the Rev. Wells Warren of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Student Center.
AU faculty will guide a dialogue on the significance of the election of President-elect Barack Obama in relation to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision for America. The forum will explore the international, economic, social and cultural implications of the recent presidential election in conjunction with the observation of Martin Luther King Jr Week activities at Auburn University. The town hall meeting is part of the 10th annual celebration of King’s life and ministry. It is sponsored by St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Auburn and co-sponsored by the Auburn University Collegeof Liberal Arts Diversity Officers Team.
More info on this event: Laura Nan Fairley at 844-4593 or fairlln@auburn.edu or Mike Clardy, (334) 844-9999 (clardch@auburn.edu).
More info on King Week activities: https://fp.auburn.edu/aci/kingweek/.

SUNDAY, JAN. 18, 6:30 PM – GATHERING TO HONOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Held at Toomer’s Corner, downtown Auburn. Open to all.

All are welcome to gather in peace to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Join with those gathered to sing and speak King’s message, all while acknowledging the need for continued efforts toward peace and justice for all people.

SUNDAY, JAN. 18 — REMEMBRANCE SERVICE / WHITE STREET MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Held in the new sanctuary, White Street Missionary Baptist Church, Carlisle Drive.
AU Dean of Students and Baptist minister Johnny Green and the Rev. Wells Warren are co-leading a service of remembrance commemorating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

SUNDAY, JAN. 18 THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 24 — FULFILLING THE DREAM THROUGH SERVICE: ONE AUBURN ONE COMMUNITY  / A week-long tribute honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
Held at various locations (see details below).  All events open to the public.
Auburn University will host a week-long tribute to Martin Luther King with the theme  “Fulfilling the Dream Through Service: One Auburn One Community.” Highlights of the week will include an oratory contest, a university-wide interfaith event, scholarship breakfast, guest speakers,
lectures, student performances and community service projects. The week’s events begin with speeches from student finalists in the “Word from the Mountain Top” oratory contest on Sunday, Jan. 18, at 5 p.m. at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce. A scholarship breakfast on Monday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 a.m. at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center will feature Byron Franklin, Auburn University Board of Trustees member, as the keynote speaker. To purchase tickets for this event, call 501-3084 or 844-5042. Founder and chairman of Chick-fil-A Inc., Truett Cathy, will speak on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 3 p.m. in the Student Center ballroom. To see the complete list of events next week, see this link (https://fp.auburn.edu/aci/kingweek/ )or read the news release (http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/641 ).

MONDAY, JAN. 19, NOON – 19^TH ANNUAL MLK, JR. COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM    Held at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 541 Pitts St, Auburn. All are welcome. Speaker: Christopher Senie, Attorney at Law, Westborough, MA. This event is sponsored by Rose of Sharon OES 914 and C-Move (Citizens Making Opportunities Visible for Excellence).

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RECENT CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES  – www.auburnalabama.org

Work Begins on Donahue Drive - Bragg Avenue Project

Citizens Reminded to Turn Off Irrigation Systems During Cold Weather

Special Five Mill Referendum Set for January 27

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Schedule

City of Auburn LifeSouth Blood Drive January 20

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UPLAND RAINWATER BANKING CONFERENCE REMINDER
JANUARY 21 -22 — Upland Rainwater Banking: An Alternative to Damming Larger Perennial Streams for Municipal, Industrial, and Agricultural Water Sources
Held at the Lake Guntersville State Park Conference Center. Pre-registration preferred, but registration upon arrival will be accepted as space allows.
Co-sponsored by the Auburn University Butler/Cunningham Endowment, the Auburn University Water Resources Center, the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and the Alabama Farmers Federation.
The purpose of this conference is to explore the potential for capturing overland flow of rainfall from upland, rural watersheds in complexes of small impoundments to provide water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use.  This technique has been used very successfully at some places in the United States and several other countries to increase water supply.  Because there is relatively high rainfall and resulting overland flow across Alabama, water harvesting could be a particularly attractive source of water for municipalities in areas without access to significant sources of groundwater.  Water would usually be harvested from privately-owned land, and water harvesting could provide a source of income for property owners.  Speakers will discuss hydrologic, environmental, legislative, regulatory, and socioeconomic issues related to water harvesting.
This conference should be of interest to:
–Federal, state, and local officials concerned with water quality, scarcity, distribution, and policy
–Organizations of private citizens concerned with water quality and other water-related issues
–Representatives from water-related industry
–Scientists and researchers from the academic community as well as the private sector
–University students in water-related areas of study
Info about the conference, including an agenda of all presenters and topics,and links to the on-line registration form and the Guntersville State Park webpage for making lodging arrangements:  http://www.nrmdi.auburn.edu/water/conference/2009/.

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Thanks for your interest and support.

Email:  placeforum@gmail.com
Web:   http://placeforum.org/blog

Jan. 14, 2008

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Week of Jan. 12, 2008 — Meetings, events & updates

MONDAY, JAN. 12, 3:00 PM –  AU DARWIN CELEBRATION EVENT:  DARWIN, GOD & DESIGN: EVOLUTION AND THE BATTLE FOR AMERICA’S SOUL
 (A filmed showing of the September Littleton-Franklin Lecture by Kenneth Miller, Professor of Biology, Brown University.)
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, Room 112. Free & open to all.
Is acceptance of what evolutionary biology says about the origin of humankind and other living things compatible with religious faith in a Creator God? Miller, a professor of biology at Brown University,  addresses this and related questions about the nature of science and faith and the teaching of science in the United States. Miller was lead witness in the 2005 Pennsylvania “intelligent design (ID)” case, and his testimony was critical to the trial’s outcome resulting in barring the teaching of ID in biology class in a Pennsylvania public school district and a federal court ruling that ID “is a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory.” The film showing is the beginning of a semester-long Darwin Celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.”  The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences.  Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.

MONDAY, JAN. 12  – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION  www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
6. Reports from Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting December 29, 2008
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
c. Bid #7 Domestic Water Heaters for Justice Center – Jerry Lynch
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Results from Solid Waste RFP – Judge English
b. Report on EMA Applications – Judge English
c. Resolutions for Legislative Considerations – Wendy Swann
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Letter of Support for Smiths Water Authority Federal Funding – Dick Key
b. Infrastructure Priorities – Commissioner Harris
c. Possible Re-schedule of February 9 Commission Meeting – Judge English
d. Dirt Road Paving Program – Neal Hall and Roger Rendleman
10. Discussion Items
11. Adjourn

TUESDAY, JAN.13, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
Agenda includes: Charles Pick will make a presentation on the “Cary Creek” development on North College.  If you plan to attend, to ensure sufficient seating, please notify Becky Richardson brichardson@auburnalabama.org.

TUESDAY, JAN. 13, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx

TUESDAY, JAN. 13, 6:00 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION  www.auburnschools.org
Held in the Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.  [Dinner for the Board of Education members is at 5:00 p.m. at the Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Avenue.]

THURSDAY, JAN. 15, 10:00 AM – ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Open to all.
Agenda: The Board will meet to approve minutes from the previous month’s meeting, to approve applications for licensure, and to conduct the general business of the Board.

THURSDAY, JAN. 15, NOON – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society.

THURSDAY, JAN. 15, 5:00 PM – ARTIST TALK & RECEPTION
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art (JCSM). This event is free & open to the public. Reception follows talk.
Noted painter, printmaker and illustrator Rafal Olbinski will be discussing his current exhibition New Dreams of Old Values. This collection of recent paintings by Olbinski is on display at JCSM from December 13, 2008 through February 28, 2009. This program is part of the museum’s Third Thursday Free Nights and is open to the public.
More info: 334.844.7075 or visit http://www.jscm.auburn.edu.

FRIDAY, JAN. 16, NOON – WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / LUNCHEON & ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION:  DEBT FREE & FINANCIALLY FIT
Held in the private dining room of Ariccia, in the Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center.  Dutch treat luncheon.
Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For reservations, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan at 844-9199 or wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
The College of Human Sciences’ Women’s Philanthropy Board will host a roundtable discussion focusing on how to be “Debt Free and Financially Fit” featuring Jeff Holloway, president of Holloway Credit Solutions of Montgomery. Topics will include how to balance your cash flow, credit scores, interest rates, credit risk and reducing debt during today’s credit crunch. Holloway joined the Credit Bureau of Montgomery in 1992 after completing graduate studies at Tulane University in mathematical economics and finance. In 2003 the Credit Bureau of Montgomery became Holloway Credit Solutions and the company transformed into a medical billing and collection agency. Holloway has served as state president of the Associated Credit Bureaus, advisory board member to Experian and board member of the American Collectors Association.

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WEST PACE GAS STATION & CONVENIENCE STORE / SHELL TOOMER PARKWAY AT SOUTH COLLEGE STREET
Last week the Auburn Planning Commission voted to recommend that  City Council grant conditional use approval for a road service use (gas station & convenience store) in the corner parcel of the West Pace project.  The recommendation included a number of conditions, affirmed the requirement for a 20-foot-wide bufferyard adjacent to the Shell Toomer Parkway & bikepath, but removed the requirement for a fence structure in that bufferyard. 

PROPOSED AUBURN SEWER RATE INCREASE
The City of Auburn is proposing a sewer rate increase. The city council will vote on the increase at its Jan. 20 meeting.  A presentation from the city’s recent sewer rate workshop, which includes information about needed sewer improvements, proposed financing and increased rates, is available online at:
http://www.auburnalabama.org/announce/SewerRateWorkshopPresentation.pdf

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.

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Thanks for your interest and support.

Email:  placeforum@gmail.com
Web:   http://placeforum.org/blog

Jan. 11, 2008

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UPDATE:  additions & corrections

ADDITIONAL MEETING
TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Held in old Johnson Gallery building, behind the Lee County Courthouse, Opelika.
Agenda: workshop on outreach, review program & role of facilitators for upcoming Lee County town hall meetings, etc.  This committee has been formed to ensure broad-based participation of Lee County Residents in the creation of the first Lee County Comprehensive Plan. Info:  Wendy Swann, Governmental Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission / wswann@leeco.us; 334-737-3674; or contact your Lee County Commissioner.

CORRECTION (starts at 6:30 pm) & AGENDA DETAILS
TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 6:30 – 8:00 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APJ)   www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 450 E. Thatch Ave. Open to all.
Proposed agenda items include: consideration of signing a resolution re Gaza, planning for annual MLK Interfaith Peace Vigil, and opposing Jan. 15th scheduled execution of James Callahan.

 

ADDITIONAL MEETING
FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 8:15 AM – ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD / special-called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery; 334-242-2230. Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting.

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Thanks for your interest and support.

Email:  placeforum@gmail.com
Web:   http://placeforum.org/blog

Jan. 5, 2008

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Week of Jan. 5, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates

CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE: Auburn Water Works Board to Switch to Multi-Cycle Billing
(http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/wro010209.asp)

CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES
• Board of Zoning Adjustment: Two vacancies will be filled at the January 6 meeting.
• Metropolitan Planning Organization - Citizens Advisory Committee: Five vacancies will be announced at the February 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 3 meeting.
• Commercial Development Authority: Two vacancies will be announced at the February 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 3 meeting.
• Mental Health Mental Retardation Board:  Two vacancies will be announced at the February 17 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 17 meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact a City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or call 501-7260.

MONDAY, JAN. 5, noon– AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Cooper Annexation PL-2008-00855
Applicant: Ronald and Diane Cooper
General Location: 1633 Lee Road 80 (Bud Black Road)
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 12.5 acres
NEW BUSINESS
2. North Dean Car Wash PUBLIC HEARING PL-2008-00859
Applicant: Jerome Anderson for Danny Phipps
General Location: 231 North Dean Road, Suite 1
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (car wash)
3. Tutton Hill Subdivision Amenity Lot PUBLIC HEARING PL-2008-00864
Applicant: Dilworth Development, Inc.
General Location: 720 Oakdale Drive
Zoning District: Limited Development District (LDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a subdivision amenity
4. West Pace Village Station PUBLIC HEARING PL-2008-00867
Applicant: West Pace, LLC
General Location: Northeast corner of South College Street and Shell Toomer Parkway
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (gas station)
5. Auburn Mixed Martial Arts PUBLIC HEARING PL-2008-00868
Applicant: Randall Phillips for Hoke Harper
General Location: 2515 East Glenn Avenue, Suite 204
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a commercial and entertainment use (sports and recreation instruction)
OTHER BUSINESS
6. Annual Meeting of the Commission to Elect New Officers
7. CompPlan 2030 Process/Update - Justin Steinmann, Principal Planner
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. STAFF COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT

MONDAY, JAN. 5, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.

TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 4:00 pm  – AUBURN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB)
Held in the City Manager’s Conference Room, Auburn City Hall, 144 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.

TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.

TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 6:00 PM – LEE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the old Johnson Gallery building located behind the County Courthouse in Opelika. Open to all.

TUESDAY, JAN. 6 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:40 pm – work session  / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.   www.opelika.org
Work session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=170&pg=City+Council+Work+Session
Regular session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=169&pg=City+Council+Agenda

TUESDAY, JAN. 6 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 pm — Committee of the Whole /  7:00 pm – Regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet:  www.auburnalabama.org/agenda
Committee of the Whole Agenda includes:
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. Nominations.
a. CEMETERY ADVISORY BOARD. Two Positions. Incumbents: Genyth Brown Carr and Maury Matthews (have served two full terms). Four Year Terms Expire December 31, 2012.
b. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT. Two Positions. Incumbents: Phil Thompson and Karen Turner (have served partial terms and two full terms). Three Year Terms Expire January 20, 2012.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses.
(1) Mardi’s by the Lake, LLC dba/Mardi’s. 190 East University Drive, Suite 1406. 050 - Retail Beer (Off Premises Only) and 070 – Retail Table Wine (Off Premises Only) Licenses. Relocation and Transfer of Existing License.
(2) Goal Post Estate, LLC dba/Goal Post Package. 190 North Donahue Drive. 011 – Lounge Retail Liquor – Class II – (Package) License. Addition to Existing License.
(3) Tiger, LLC dba/Ahi’s Restaurant and Bar. 1936 South College Street. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License.
b. Announcement of Board Vacancy. Tree Commission. One Position. Resignation. Unexpired Term Ends November 7, 2009. Appointment at February 3, 2009 Meeting.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexation. Lorenza Herbert Clark. 7786 Alabama Highway 147 North. Property Located east of Alabama Highway 147 North (Heath Road) and south of Gold Hill Road (Lee Road 086) and the Central of Georgia Railroad. 2.0 Acres. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. Sewer Ordinance. Establish and set monthly sewer usage charges and sewer system access fees. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
[PLACE editorial note: For more info on sewer rate increase, see Sewer Rate Workshop presentation — http://www.auburnalabama.org/announce/SewerRateWorkshopPresentation.pdf)
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Special Municipal Bond Election. January 27, 2009. Election Officials. Appointment.
b. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) Lennie & Martin Squiers. David Slocum (Authorized Representative). Commercial Support Use – Warehouses and Offices (Airport Warehouses) In the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) zoning district. Property Located at 1914 Saugahatchee Road. 2.00 Acres.
 (2) Reddy Munagala. Goal Post Estate, LLC. Commercial and Entertainment Use – Package Store (The Goal Post) in the University Service (US) zoning district. Property Located at 1956 North Donahue Drive. 0.25 Acres.
c. Jones & Minear Homebuilders, LLC. Stonewood Farm Subdivision. Rename Five City Streets.
d. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Information Technology Department. TekLinks. Cisco Systems/SmartNet. Network Maintenance. Contract Renewal. $59,665.04
(2) Office of the City Manager. Classification and Compensation Study. Condrey and Associates, Inc. $57,500.
e. Tiger Crossing, an Alabama General Partnership. Longleaf Crossing, Phase Five. Property Located at the terminus of West longleaf Drive. Drainage and Utility easements and Rights-of-Way. Acceptance.
f. Economic Development Department. Revolving Loan Fund. Gold Valley Development, LLC. Up to $150,000.
g. Boards and Commissions. Appointments.
(1) Auburn Cemeteries Advisory Board. Two Positions. Four year terms end December 31, 2012.
(2) Board of Zoning Adjustment. Two Positions. Three year terms end January 20, 2012.
11. OTHER BUSINESS. 12. ADJOURNMENT.

TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 7:00  8:30 6:30 - 8:00 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APF)   www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 450 E. Thatch Ave. Open to all.

 

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 7, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
OLD BUSINESS –none
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 605.04 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2008-00849
Applicant: Beck Bradham Inc.
General Location: 2336 Bent Creek Road
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Variance of 192 square feet to the maximum sign allowance of 60 square feet to allow 252 square feet of signage on a building
Variance to Section 502.02A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2008-00857
Applicant: Winona Coker
General Location: 626 Kalypso Circle
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Variance of 8.88 feet to the required 20 foot rear setback in order to allow a rear setback of 11.12 feet for a single-family residence for a covered patio
Variance to Section 515.02, Table 5-3 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2008-00865
Applicant: Chris Kearns
General Location: 151 North College Street
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC) with an overlay of the College Edge Overlay District (CEOD)
Action Requested: Variance of 22.3% (2.75 feet) to that requirement that an awning extend no more than 75% of the length of a building façade along the street line to allow an awning to extend 97.3% (12 feet) of the width of the building façade (12.33 feet)
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT.

THURSDAY, JAN. 8, 4:30 PM — OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.

THURSDAY, JAN. 8, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet:  www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp  (See details above, Monday, noon, Jan. 5, PC packet meeting)

FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION / Rulemaking Committee
Held in Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Mont. Open to all.
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on June 1, 2007**
2. Discussion and consideration of Commission rules of conduct to recommend to the full Commission for rulemaking
3. Other business
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.state.al.us, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.

FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all.

FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 7:30 PM – EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.  Open to all.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics.  For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.

FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING JUNI FISHER
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach.  www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of JUNI FISHER, go to www.sundilla.org.

FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 9:00 PM – AU THEATRE:  THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Mainstage.    http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/
Tickets: Admission is a mandatory donation of $10 to AU Players. Everyone will receive their own throw bag that will be used during the show. More info: 334.444.8569
The student produced Rocky Horror Picture Show is an annual fundraiser for AU Players and also a unique Auburn University tradition.  The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a tale about two innocent young lovers who are forced to seek refuge in the castle of the bizarre Dr. Frankenfurter, who is having a special gathering. An unforgettable night of music and madness ensues, where, like a circus act, you never know what’s going to come next. By the end of the night, fantasies will be realities, men will be women and everything will be explained. It’s definitely a show you won’t forget! Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to experience A Very Rocky New Year.

AUBURN SEWER RATE PRESENTATION
On Wednesday, Dec. 17, the City of Auburn held a sewer rate workshop.  The presentation, which includes information about needed sewer improvements, proposed financing and increased rates, is available online at:
http://www.auburnalabama.org/announce/SewerRateWorkshopPresentation.pdf

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.

== == == == == == == == == ==

Thanks for your interest and support.

Email:  placeforum@gmail.com
Web:   http://placeforum.org/blog

Jan. 3, 2008

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