Latest news with #Acklin
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Debt-funded grants wrong, councillor says
Tweaking rules to enable theatre venues not owned by the Dunedin City Council to be developed with council debt might be "clever", but also wrong, a councillor says. Cr Bill Acklin was not impressed with his colleagues when they changed the council's revenue and financing policy to enable a particular type of grant to be funded through borrowing, rather than rates. The change, approved last week, meant debt-funded grants could be provided to community organisations constructing or upgrading a building. This made it easier for the council to signal in its 2025-34 long-term plan (LTP) political will existed for spending $17.1 million on theatre space and it intended such grants to apply to redevelopment of the Playhouse Theatre and Athenaeum building, and potentially a new venue suitable for professional theatre. "To fund professional sectors using debt is not what council's ability to borrow is for," Cr Acklin said. He had stayed out of debates about theatre space because of a perceived conflict of interest but expressed thoughts after voting had occurred. Using debt for grants was "very clever", he said disapprovingly. Later in the meeting he said he believed it to be wrong. However, he was happy to see support for the Playhouse, which has a strong children's programme. Another councillor who did not take part in discussions, Lee Vandervis, said changing council policy "so that we can reclassify even more spending as capital" was shameless. He was absent because of hip surgery. He slammed colleagues for their "election-year splurge" on debt after the council added $96.9m of borrowing to the LTP during four days of discussion. Cr Sophie Barker said the debt-funded grants issue was "a useful exploration of how to support a non-council organisation to deliver a project in a building that isn't council-owned". "Otherwise, it would have gone directly on rates — this way it's able to be funded over a longer period of time as an 'intergenerational asset'. "There's a lot of checks and balances around the Playhouse and Athenaeum resolutions that won't allow any funds to be released by council until stringent conditions are met." Council debt is projected to rise by roughly $500m in the next nine years to $1.2 billion in 2034. Much of it is aimed at replacing or upgrading key Three Waters assets and transport infrastructure. The council included $17.1m in its 2021-31 LTP for development of theatre space, but removal of the allocation from draft budgets for its 2025-34 plan was controversial. Reinstating the money was one call last week that added to projected debt. Inclusion of some transport projects intended to reduce carbon emissions and deciding to replace the Edgar Centre roof were others. The council made one move late in deliberations to avoid adding to debt. It chose to start running balanced budgets from the first year of the LTP — a year earlier than had been envisaged — rather than posting another deficit. The council had looked as if it was headed for a rates increase of 10.1% for 2025-26, but having a balanced budget pushed the rates rise to 10.7%.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Street renaming to honor Stephen Perkins moves forward
DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — A neighbor of the late Stephen Perkins is leading a push for Decatur city leaders to rename his former block from Ryan Drive to Steve Perkins Drive. Perkins was killed by police in the early morning hours of Sept. 29, 2023, following an incident surrounding a vehicle repossession. Former Decatur Police Officer Mac Marquette is charged with murder in Perkins' death. Handle With Care Alabama program implemented in Lauderdale County Schools Sharonda Acklin lives on Ryan Drive, where the Perkins family was raising their children. Acklin describes Steve as a great community leader, and she wants the city to rename the block in his honor. 'The significance is the remembrance of a life that was ultimately taken entirely too soon,' said Acklin. The house is where Catrela Perkins, the widow of Stephen Perkins, said they had planned to spend the rest of their lives. 'Ryan Drive has a significant meaning to the Perkins family and to me and Steve and the girls,' she explained. 'When we got married, we lived on Ryan Drive, so it holds a lot of weight in my heart.' MCSO leading investigation into death of John Scott Jr., Decatur police say During its regular session on Tuesday, all eight members of the Decatur Planning Commission agreed with Acklin and voted unanimously to move the process forward to rename. The planning commission says that 75% of the homeowners on Ryan Drive would have to approve of the name change. Acklin said that through a petition, she is three names away from approval. 'Steve was an asset to the community and going out and taking a consensus of how the people that live on Ryan Drive feel, we have a super majority,' said Acklin. 'They feel the way that we feel and are honored to remember his legacy in this manner.' The Decatur City Council is set to meet for a work session on Monday April 28, before the measure is up for a vote at the next council meeting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
06-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Pittsburgh Penguins' business operations president decides to resign
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Kevin Acklin has resigned as the president of business operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times. The announcement was made by Teddy Werner, Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations at Fenway Sports Management, at the 2025 Night of Assists Gala at Rivers Casino. "After seven incredible seasons with the Penguins, I have decided that I will be moving on from my role as president of business operations," said Acklin in a statement. Acklin originally joined the Penguins organization in 2018 as senior vice president and general counsel, and was previously the team's COO. Acklin is a Pittsburgh native, and was selected as the president of business operations in 2022. "I will forever be proud to be a Penguin, and I look forward to the next steps in my career while continuing my service to Pittsburgh." According to the Pittsburgh Business Times, Acklin will remain with the team as an advisor until the end of the year.
