DeSoto City Council gives green light for new street

by Bill Conrad of DeSoto TODAY

The DeSoto City Council unanimously approved $93,677 in Community Development Block Grant money for the reconstruction of Hubert Drive at its meeting June 2. City Manager Jim Baugh said the street is a Grade F street.

Hubert Drive is located near Grimes Park and construction on the street should begin in Spring 2010. It will cost $30,000-40,000 more in additional funds to compete the reconstruction, which city staff said would be put into the 2009-10 budget.

The council also voted to collect the hotel occupancy taxes on a monthly basis, rather than quarterly as they are currently collected. Carl Sherman was the lone dissenting vote on the issue. During discussion, he raised some concerns that the hotels and motels were not contacted about the change before the issue was brought to the council.

The Corner Theatre will receive additional renovations after the council approved using $25,000 from the Hotel Occupancy Fund to help upgrade the facility. The money will go to help improve the theater's sightlines.

The next meeting of the DeSoto City Council is June 16 at City Hall.