Misspent public funds, lack of details and potential loss of projects were key reasons to postpone if not deny the 12-year life extension of the Medford Urban Renewal Agency, according to numerous testimonies at the Medford City Council meeting late Thursday.

The council voted to continue the meeting to April 20. Council members closed the public hearing at around 10:30 p.m. and will take comment for seven days.

There were 80 or more residents in attendance, many of whom spoke in opposition to MURAs request to extend its life beyond its 2013 sunset date.

The downtown revitalization agency asked the council to grant it a longer life to help create Middleford Commons, a proposed $147 million, six-block development with Lithia Motors headquarters as its anchor. MURAs portion of the investment could be as much as $17 million, which would help with park space, streetscapes and area amenities.

The agency has asked for more time beyond its remaining seven years to pay back bonds for the partnership project.

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Medford residents Michael Torguson and Bill Mansfield spoke about concerns that the once-promised improvements to the Liberty Park neighborhood in west Medford were taken off MURAs to-do list with the Middleford Commons project in view.

Mansfield added that it’s wrong to use public funds to subsidize private business, and that Middleford Commons was an economic development project.

He said it was unclear exactly how the $17 million would be spent.

"I suggest at the very least the council hold off on this matter," he said.

Scott Henselman, owner of Henselman Realty & Management, said there has been a lack of information and a lot of confusion on what MURA would be doing with its downtown projects, and requested an extension of time "to allow the issue to be vented in a public venue."

Jane Bridcott who lives in the Liberty Park neighborhood said she understood the neighborhood park project, once on the urban renewal agency’s project list, had been completely handed over to the city. She said she knew the Parks Department didn’t have excess funds to build the park.

"I just think the Liberty Park District is going to be put even more on the back burner," she said.

Several people from the economic development community spoke in support of extending MURAs life, saying the Middleford Commons project will stimulate economic development and growth, provide local jobs, offer housing, and create a vibrant downtown.

The development would be located between Central and Riverside avenues and Main and Jackson streets.

Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail mlanders@mailtribune.com.