related story--
Eugene residents will likely be asked to approve a bond measure [or by other creative means] for the new City Hall with estimates so far ranging from $126.8 million to $130 million which includes acquiring land and building a 300,000 square-foot headquarters that will stand about six stories high.
"If the city can buy the properties, that's where we really turn up the heat on talking to the community and engaging them and building toward why they want this for themselves," she said. "And it should truly represent in its architecture and its function what the people of the city of Eugene want.", said Mayor Kitty PiercyHummm, New building or public safety? Which one do you think the people want?
A new City Hall, perhaps larger than the recently completed $92 million Wayne Lyman Morse Federal Courthouse, would remake a key block in the heart of the city. "I think it will generate excitement," Councilor David Kelly said.
city officials are eager to replace the 42 -year-old City Hall which they consider too small, energy inefficient [due to its single pane windows] and because the second story structure is supported by pillars, makes it vulnerable to an earthquake.
Jim Hale, a former city Council candidate agrees that the police department should be moved from City Hall, however that can be done without building an entire new building.
The city's priorities should be repairing streets, adding police officers to its understaffed ranks and finding money to develop parks, he said. "We have a million things that are higher priorities "
on the one hand, the city tells us that they don't have money to repair the roads or provide public safety, that they are shorthanded and do not have enough manpower... and yet they want to build a completely new building because of expected growth?
I agree with the idea that the police department should be separated from City Hall, however, I disagree that the construction of an entirely new building is really necessary.
Finally, let's not forget what the DA said on KUGN during interview about Eugene being considered a high crime area.
Like I've been saying, it's about checks and balances and priorities.
Hat tip to Gary for the article
4 comments:
I think you are right about our priorities. I share Jim Hale's perspective as well. As a city, we will also need to prepare to take up the slack if/when the County has the funding shorteges it anticipates if the federal Rural Schools bill isn't reauthorized. We certainly will have to find our own solutions for local transportation problems and I beleive we will.
However, our current City Hall is unsafe (from earthquake) and so out of date that it is very expensive to maintain (heating - read big single pain windows, etc.). We need to plan for a new City Hall so police service is well delivered and our city employees are safe. But we must show the people of Eugene the respect of addressing higher priorities first.
Mike Clark
Councilor-Elect
Ward 5
It seems to me that the City has moved many of it's employees out of City Hall already. When they didn't get the immediate approval for a new city hall they built a new fire station at 13th. and Willamette, a hugh new training center for police and fire dept. at 2nd. and Chambers and large concrete bunker system at Roosevelt and Garfield for the police. Most of the planning dept. is in the Atrium building. Who's left at City Hall anyway, the council and mayor? I would like to see them reduce the size of government not build a hugh new building to fill up.
Quotes like this scare the hell out of me.
"If the city can buy the properties, that's where we really turn up the heat on talking to the community and engaging them and building toward why they want this for themselves," she said. "
They have already shown their ability to "turn up the heat" to get us to support the Hult Center that I didn't want to pay for , the library with a 2 million dollar automatic book sorter, another $9 million dollar parking structure that we don't need, and a hospital where most people don't want it.
Have we saved up the $5 million to pay off the judgements for the rapist cops yet?
How about live within your means and do the job your supposed to do.
They don't have the money to repair pot holes but they can completely rebuild the road in front of the Ya-Po-Ah apartments that is rarely used. They can built traffic obstacle courses throughout the Friendly neighborhood, build a bike bridge that is totally unneccessary (DeFazio bridge) etc.
Priorities, priorities, priorities.
My house had single pain windows and I replaced the windows, not the house. I'd bet EWEB may even help pay for the upgrade. I am not as worried about earthquakes as I am having politicians reaching into my pockets for more money. I f the city hall is built and the police are moved out, how much will it cost to build a building for the police? Npbody seems to be talking about that! Give us all of the bad news up front!
Many communities in this country and around the world have managed to raise funds to build whatever was needed without more taxes. I would surmise that the citizens that are willing to put up the money should do so as they are more than likely the 'elite' wealthy citizens we hear so much about. I, myself, do not have money to throw around even if it is for a good cause. I volunteer instead. There is also that wonderful tradition of 'reduce, reuse, recycle'. Why not use one of the buildings left empty by the corporations that were given huge tax breaks to bring their factories here? They aren't very old and still have a lot of good use left in them. Considering what it cost us to entice them to our community, it would have been nice if they used a little vaseline when they stuck it to us. Whose priority was that little venture?
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