Low Income Housing Proposal Approved

This is disappointing. 

Mayor Kristine Deiss cast the deciding vote approving the developer’s agreement that will allow the River Bluffs Townhomes project to be build on Wisconsin Street downtown.

   And she cast her tiebreaking vote for the $7 million project in front of a decidedly hostile crowd Monday night following a 4-4 vote by the Common Council.

   “I believe it is in the best interest for this entire community,” Deiss said of the nine building, 36-rental unit complex that will be built on 2.9 acres east of the Eisenbahn Trail.

   “I expect none of you will agree with me,” she said to a crowd of about 60 spectators, nearly all who opposed the city allowing a housing project in its Tax Incre-mental Financing District 5.

And this is a bit surprising.

Duquaine said he was sick to his stomach because the city’s RDA already had agreed to an option to sell the parcel to the developer, which the Common Council could not reverse. “What we’re part of now is nothing but ceremony,” he said of Monday’s vote.

I’m curious about the legality of this.  Can the RDA go into a contract like this without a vote by the Common Council?  I suppose it depends on how much authority the council has delegated to the RDA, but it is disconcerting that the RDA could execute a binding contract on behalf of the citizens of West Bend without a vote by their elected representatives.