The World According to Bob

(Editor’s note: Each week, our city’s chief executive officer summarizes from the mount his version of all the good that has happened in the city since he last proclaimed. Mercifully, for the 2nd consecutive week, he pulled it off in less than 7 minutes again this week. The Express watches so you don’t have to.)

The lights are shining

We are now just over 5,000 streetlights replaced with efficient LED lighting.

There are just more than 6,000 streetlights in the city. We are having to deal with some supply issues with our contractors. We anticipate having things completed mid summer.

We had a great conversation yesterday with some technology companies regarding potential for technology to be placed in the streetlights.

Showtime at the library

2 p.m. today Main St library “One Love” Bob Marley

Feasibility study not done

We are finalizing some of the details for the feasibility study of the entertainment center and park. We anticipate being able to deliver that in the next few weeks. We are just sort of defining some of the items that are going to be critical in our continuing conversations regarding public and private partnerships relative to construction once site acquisition is completed.

On that note, we are prepared for the acquisition of the department of transportation portion “and I say that because there are two portions of this parcel that NFR has had. The lower portion closer to John B. Daly Boulevard was acquired by the department of transportation. We are preparing to make our offer on that pursuant to the eminent domain order of the Supreme Court and as expected the property owner has not agreed with the obvious information that the transfer of the park, which is the parcel closest to 10th Street, was not properly transferred and rather than cooperate, which has not been their method of approach throughout all of this, rather than cooperate we will have to have the court determine the city does still own the property through some expedited fashion and then we move on from there for additional discussions with many of our partners for the development of the event center and park.”

The weather

It’s going to get different with a bit of rain Friday and lower temperatures so the great warmth we felt over the last few days is going away.

If you are going to be out and about, we have a state initiative about getting everybody off their phones and outdoors. I know it is hard. For some of us, it is the way we communicate with family and friends. For others, it is the way we get our entertainment and news.

At some point it makes sense for our physical and mental health to get outdoors. Use your smart phone to contact someone and invite them for a walk.

Spring and baseball

College seasons wrapping up at Sal Maglie with the Americans on the way. Food Truck Thursday starts June 26.