It may go down as one of the quickest Central Project Area Committee meetings ever Thursday night. With a light agenda, rain coming down hard and Lakers vs. Celtics basketball game on television, it was a small but hearty group that met at the monthly meeting of the group that advises how the Redevelopment Agency spends tax increment money.
In the early going there was even a bit of worry about whether enough representatives had showed up to make a quorum and there were jokes about calling for an adjournment and going to watch the game.
There were enough of the faithful present and the meeting was gaveled to order at 6:12 p.m..
The main presentation on the city's 2030 General Plan was scrapped due to a scheduling conflict, leaving a round-up of news from the Redevelopment Agency's Monday meeting by David White, as the main event.
The gloomy news from White concerned $1.39 million in RDA funds that have been pulled from CPAC as part of the $350 million that was taken statewide in the 2008-09 budget that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed in September.
On Monday the RDA voted to borrow money against funds set aside for affordable housing to make up the shortfall.
On a happier note, members were delighted with the mock-up memorial artwork scheduled to go up to honor the late Bob Lee, a long-time activist with both the West and Central project area committees. Both PACs decided to honor Lee with artwork at bus stops in their areas. CPAC decided with would mimic the artwork approved by West PAC. The selected design shows Lee in the foreground with oil derricks in the background and Lee's favored classic automobiles.The selected design show Lee in the foreground with oil derricks in the background and Lee's favored classic automobiles. The art will be installed at a bus stop at Long Beach Boulevard and Willow Street.
The gavel came down less than an hour after the meeting began and Laker fans were able to get home in time to see their team win in overtime.
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