City Hall Annex or No Tax Increases ? What Would YOU Choose?

Never Went To Public Tender

If you have been paying attention (which it seems few have) this city council under the direction of City Manager Mr. Al Kenning decided it was a good idea to spend 16 Million Tax Dollars on a brand new office for 160 city staff. It should be noted that had this amount been directed towards keeping your tax increase down, you could have no tax increases for the next 5 years, instead of the 21% already in the budget.

That Is YOUR Money They Are Spending

You Deserve To See Why They Chose To Spend It

I have tried for months now to see the hidden information that led city hall managers and this city council to decide to spend $16,000,000.00 (without going to public tender) but even though I have been forced to use the Freedom of Information act, have yet to see any supporting studies which would justify this huge expenditure of YOUR tax dollars. Openness? Transparency??

Making the supporting information public is something so feared by this city council, that to this day, they will not bring the information out of 'in camera' so that it may be examined in the bright light of day. In fact, this city council will not even tell you if they personally voted for this use of YOUR tax dollars. Why?

Mayor Ruttan is quoted in the local press as saying 'if we had the luxury of time we might have done it differently'. What exactly does he mean??

Some Questions For City Council

And City Manager Al Kenning

1. The existing Annex was bought in 1999 and duly inspected before making the purchase, it was deemed to be a safe working place then, so what 'really' has changed???

2. If this building is so unsafe, why in the world is it not condemned and city staff moved out IMMEDIATELY! Could it be the 'danger' is exaggerated to support the idea of building staff a new office. even if it is not needed?

3.If it really is necessary to upgrade this building why was the estimated expense of $4 million to upgrade not chosen rather than the $16 million? Where is the cost analysis proving the $4 million would not have been well spent.

4. Why was a contract of over $12 million to build a new building awarded to Windley Contracting without having gone to public TENDER?

This City Council under the direction of the current City Manager could have chosen to keep your tax increases to ZERO for the next four to five years, instead, they have chosen to build city hall staff a brand new office, without having even gone to tender.

If you think something is wrong with this picture, this is the time to make an issue of it by asking city council candidates what they are going to do about this blatant, arrogant disregard for how YOUR tax dollars are being spent!