New Committee to Oversee Stimulus Spending

A panel of 7 citizens will oversee stimulus funding allocation for the city and make pertinent recommendations to the mayor and city council, due to a unanimous vote by City Council today. Sponsor and Councilman Bill Peduto says the Stimulus Oversight and Reinvestment in New Growth Committee (SOARING) will have individuals nominated by council and appointed by the mayor, in order to gain “another set of eyes” for watching how federal money is spent. The four-year job will include no payment or compensation. Councilman Bruce Kraus emphasized the need to “represent the diversity of the city” in the new committee. An engineer, a community planner, an economic development specialist, a labor leader or community leader, and an environmental specialist will be required on the council to better make wise recommendations. When stimulus funding is over with, the committee will be abolished unless council chooses to renew the panel.