Today, Metro Council again slated to discuss downtown library and stage canopy

With two controversial items up for discussion at this afternoon’s special Metro Council meeting, the council and the public alike will be keeping their eyes on attendance. The council will address a resolution to call for an alternative to construction of a new downtown library, a $19 million project previously OK’d by the council. The project has come under criticism in recent months for its price tag, and some residents have publicly voiced concerns about disproportionate spending on downtown projects. The council did not get a chance to discuss the issue at Wednesday’s regular meeting because it lost a quorum and adjourned unexpectedly. Another item of note on the council agenda is the approval of a $899,995 bid for a canopy at the Galvez Plaza project downtown. Mayor Kip Holden has reportedly agreed to free up $1.5 million from a dormant levee project if the council approves the canopy bid. Last week’s council meeting adjourned unexpectedly while the motion was on the floor, when private conversations and bathroom breaks by four council members led to the loss of quorum. The meeting’s premature termination led to criticism from both the public and some council members. Read Business Report Executive Editor JR Ball’s take on the council’s recent antics here. Business Report Publisher Rolfe McCollister’s current column on the council can be found here. Send comments to editors@businessreport.com. This afternoon’s meeting will convene at 5 p.m. on the third floor of the Governmental Building at 222 St. Louis St.