Members of Springfield’s city council are considering creating a downtown development authority to oversee revitalization efforts.
Mayor Barty Alderman said the members of the authority’s board can either live in the city or operate a business in the city and live in Effingham County.
Council members discussed creating a downtown development authority (DDA) at their Jan. 12 meeting.
They asked City Manager Brett Bennett to return at a future meeting with suggestions for the geographic area the authority would cover.
Alderman said the DDA would be able to sell or lease a piece of property for a specific use. Without an authority, the city would have to surplus a property and sell it to the highest bidder, who might not use it for the purpose the city prefers.
The DDA would not have taxing authority, Alderman said. “If they want money, they’d have to work in partnership with us,” he said. “They’re allowed to do some of the work and we’re not.”
Bennett said he hopes the council will make a decision about the DDA in February or March.
Also at the Jan. 12 city council meeting, Gary Weitman and Justin Cribbs took the oath of office. They were re-elected without opposition.
Steve Shealy, who also was re-elected without opposition, will be sworn in at the February meeting.
Kenny Usher was appointed as mayor pro tem.