At Monday night’s meeting of the Niles City Council, Craig Dreeszen of Dreeszen and Associates will give a special “Cultural Economic Development in Downtown Area” presentation to members of the council.

Following that presentation, the members will be facing an agenda with several items including these requests:

• from the Niles District Library and the Niles Main Street/DDA to conduct the eighth annual Halloween Costume Contest in conjunction with the Downtown Niles Merchants’ 10th annual Downtown Safe Trick or Treat event on Saturday, Oct. 24 with the costume contest starting at 1 p.m. and Downtown Safe Trick or Treat from 4 to 5 p.m.

• from the Police Department to purchase one MV-760 Generation 3 Pinnacle Weapon Sight from C.M.P. Distributors, Inc of Lansing, at a cost of $4,599 plus shipping; 20 Gerber rain jackets for patrol officers from Nye Uniform of Grand Rapids at a cost of $4,899.80 plus shipping; a Digital Video Recorder from LEA, Inc. of Raleigh, NC at a cost of $4,995 plus shipping; a Hostage/Crisis Negotiations Telephone, transmitter and headsets from Rescue Phone, Inc. of Crofton, MD at a cost of $5,200; request from the Police Department to purchase 10 Kenwood UHF two-way portable radios from Hi-Tech/SMR Communications of Niles at a cost of $9,605; five Stalker DSR radar units through a State of Michigan contract from Applied Concepts, Inc. of Plano, Texas at a cost of $10,945 and 21 sets of duty gear from C.M.P. Distributors, Inc. of Lansing, at a cost of $17,747.10 plus shipping.

Also on the agenda for Monday night’s meeting as part of the City Administrator’s report council members will be asked to consider adopting the following requests and resolutions:

• to endorse and adopt the proposed Niles Cultural Economic Development Plan.

• to approve the transfer of a Class C liquor license with Dance and Entertainment Permit from 217 N. Fifth St. to 219 N. Fourth St. as requested by Gurleen, Inc.

• to enter into a lease agreement with Indiana Michigan Power Company for the Riverfront and Plym Park Trail Development Project in order to meet the grant requirements of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund program.

• a loan modification request from Kathy Miller, owner and operator of Niles Academy of Performing Arts, thereby allowing the restructure of the original loan pursuant to the terms specified.

• to approve the Fiscal Year 2010 Community Development Block Grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and consideration of authorizing the mayor to sign the agreement, which allocates $338,349.00 for community development.
In an appointment before the board, consideration will be given to appointing Darilee Schieble to the Fort Saint Joseph Archaeological Advisory Committee effective immediately.

And as part of the city attorney’s report, a first reading and introduction will be held of a Right of Way Ordinance. The ordinance is to promote and protect the public health, safety and welfare and to exercise reasonable control over the public right of way by regulating the use and occupation of such right of way by video service providers who lack a METRO Act permit.

City council meetings are held at the Niles City Fire Department, 1345 E. Main St. on the second and fourth Monday of the month at 6 p.m.