As the winning bid for West Lafayette’s State Street overhaul is set to be announced, the city’s Redevelopment Commission is expressing its displeasure with the process. In a largely symbolic 3-2 vote Wednesday, the Commission decried what it sees as a lack of transparency in the so-called “build-operate-transfer” process. City Attorney Eric Burns tried to assuage the concerns of Board Chair Larry Oates, but Oates pounded on his desk and insisted on trying to slow down the Joint Board overseeing the project. Oates’ motion sought to revoke the Redevelopment Commission’s funding authority – even as Commission attorney Tom Brooks informed the chairman the panel has no such power. Still, Oates says his point was made. “The motion had all the meaning it needed to have, and that was to put out in front and center that we need to have more open information flow with regard to this project and until we get that open information flow there’s going to be real questions brought about by some of
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