Mayor Street has selected a team of four companies, which employ three of his former top staffers, for a long-term contract to install and maintain new bus shelters, benches and public toilets in exchange for advertising rights on the structures.

The three former staffers are Street's top political aide, George Burrell; Street's former communications director, Barbara Grant, and press aide Luz Cardenas. Their companies were the winning bidder in a yearlong process involving two other corporate teams.

But Council President Anna Verna yesterday refused to introduce the necessary legislation, contending that the complicated 20-year contract requires substantial review by her staff before the bill can be introduced.

And with just three sessions left before all legislation dies at the end of Council's term, the chances for this bill, as well as a handful of other Street administration initiatives, appears to be dimming.

"I just don't like doing things in the dark," Verna said. "It's not how we should be doing business."

Joyce Wilkerson, Street's chief of staff, said the proposed contract is with a joint venture of Clear Channel and Interstate Outdoor Advertising. It would provide the city a guaranteed $50 million over 20 years plus 5 percent of advertising revenue after a complicated threshold is met.

The installation and maintenance work for hundreds of new structures, including 480 bus shelters, 1,800 trash cans, 150 benches and five public toilets would be handled by U.S. Facilities, a subsidiary of PRWT Services Inc., where Burrell recently became a senior executive.

The Clear Channel group also agreed to fund a two-year pilot program for bicycle-sharing.

Mary Tracy, executive director of the Society Created to Remove Urban Blight, said it was unfair of the Street administration to try to ram through such a massive contract in its waning days.

"It seems to me the city only cares about money," she said. "We care about what this new street furniture will look like."

Last year, Tracy was critical of Street's decision to end litigation with billboard companies such as Clear Channel over the proliferation of small billboards.

Grant said her firm, which is an equity partner in the venture, would provide public relations and community outreach during the 20-year term of the contract.

"We're hopeful that it will get introduced," she said.

Wilkerson agreed, "There has been a long, deliberative and competitive process and a delay doesn't help anyone."

She noted that the city's five-year plan assumes the city will start receiving the revenue.

Verna also held a Street bill that would give Billy Casper Golf Inc. a 10-year contract to operate six city-owned golf courses in exchange for roughly $3.5 million to city coffers. *