Blackfoot, Idaho, Considers Urban Renewal Plan Story-Date: 08:47 a.m. PST Saturday , November 15, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------ Blackfoot, Idaho, Considers Urban Renewal Plan By Janet D. Howard, Post Register, Idaho Falls, Idaho Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News BLACKFOOT, Idaho--Nov. 13--For most, urban blight brings to mind a rotting inner city with stinking slums, rampant crime and lost hopes. In Blackfoot it means older buildings, decaying streets and outdated sewer and water lines. To keep up with that kind of deterioration, the Blackfoot Urban Renewal Agency is looking at a three-year urban renewal plan that the Southeast Idaho Council of Governments would administer for the city. Jim Hagar, with the council of governments, will present the plan to the Blackfoot City Council this morning at 10. "SEICOG has been appointed administrators and should be prepared to present a report of the area that is blighted to be included in the updated downtown renewal plan," said Blackfoot City Clerk Austin Moses. If the City Council accepts it, the plan will be available for public comment for the next 30 days. The City Council would then consider adopting it. The new renewal plan will continue where previous efforts left off, Moses said. A similar plan was put in place in 1992, and included projects such as the widening of Meridian Street and improving the storm sewer line along Jensen Grove Drive. While that earlier plan was managed entirely by the city, this time the council of governments will be doing all the work, said Blackfoot Mayor Scott Reese. "SEICOG is providing the plan at no charge to the city ... which could have cost us $15,000 to $20,000," Reese said. There will, however, be a $7,500 annual administrative charge. The council of governments, best defined as a government cooperative, assists communities in developing and managing economic development and urban renewal programs. Its efforts, funded through dues paid by member cities, include the Bannock County Development Corporation, Chubbuck Urban Renewal Agency and the Pocatello Redevelopment Agency. The savings aren't the only advantage to a contract with the council of governments, Reese said. "By hiring SEICOG, we will be benefiting from their expertise. They will be doing this full-time so they can devote more attention to it. The city will be able to be more aggressive than we have been before," he said. Although previous renewal efforts have been successful, Reese said it is time for an updated comprehensive plan. The new plan will not only identify areas in need of work, but will suggest projects and funding options, he said. "It will most likely be a very general plan so as not to include or exclude areas or locations at this point," said Moses. ----- Visit the Post Register on the World Wide Web at http://www.idahonews.com/ ----- (c) 1997, Post Register, Idaho Falls, Idaho. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. ------------------------------------------------------------