- April 19, 2024
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+ Solution to City Hall issue: Rent, don’t buy
Dear Editor:
I am in agreement with Ray Thomann’s May 5 letter about not building a new City Hall. Renting, in my opinion, is the way to go. City Marketplace could become City Hall Plaza, with plenty of office space and parking.
City attorneys could work out an agreement for 50 or so years with a certain percentage yearly increase in rent and all upkeep taken care of by the owner. Rent cars and large equipment. Less upkeep — that’s the way business is done.
Why should the Palm Coast taxpayer be burdened with new construction fees, consultations, etc.? Palm Coast now has too many vacant buildings. We don’t need more.
Irene Karandy
Palm Coast
+ City Council should respect residents’ wishes on City Hall
Dear Editor:
Here we go again (sigh). The City Council is floating trial balloons and quoting “a handful of residents” who spoke in favor of building a new City Hall. Well, boys, a “handful” is neither a quorum nor a majority of Palm Coast residents.
Council et al, don’t you dare try building a new City Hall under any pretext without the voted permission of your constituents. Beyond that, any new City Hall better be on the north-south, centrally located Palm Coast Parkway and not in Town Center where your pals need some action to spur their development. Isn’t City Marketplace on Palm Coast Parkway? Why don’t you buy that, as Mr. Thomann said in his May 5 letter to the editor? You’re already there. Previous City Halls were on the parkway. Stay there! The parkway is the center of Palm Coast, not Town “Center.”
New residents may not know how hotly contested the 2005 election issue of building a new City Hall was. Former Mayor James Canfield and his city manager, Dick Kelton, wanted to build a 75,000-square-foot glass (yes, you read that correctly) City Hall, where Kelton would get a 2,300-square-foot office. My home isn’t that big!
The citizens loudly rejected this idea with 82% against. In 2010, they again sent new City Manager Jim Landon around to try to “sell” the idea of a new City Hall paid for by borrowing funds from empty city budget categories with a future promise to pay — in essence, a shell game. Now snap forward two more years and they’re “keeping their options open” by modifying the lease renewal at City Marketplace.
Palm Coast residents and taxpayers ought to be asking the question, Why don’t these guys get the message? And why does any new City Hall have to be in Town Center anyway? Read on …
Now they bring in Michael Chiumento, owner of the mostly empty City Center office building who says that, “for a city of our size and stature, a City Hall is well overdue.” Well, Michael, if you feel so strongly about it, why don’t you build the City Hall for us and pay for it, too. Or, why don’t you give the first floor of your building to the city for its use?
It doesn’t take one long to realize that development inside Town Center is stalled and that the principals need something to spur development. Hmm … wouldn’t it be great if we convinced the city to build a new City Hall right next to our mostly empty City Center office building inside Town Center? We don’t need no stinkin’ City Hall until the residents say it’s time.
No matter what, since this is such an emotional issue in the city, it is incumbent on the City Council to place the issue on a ballot in the next election. Just because you think you’ve found a way to build the thing legally without our permission does not mean it’s OK. It isn’t OK until we vote on it and the majority gives its permission. You work for us, remember?
If this council ignores our wishes, we residents need to vote out every last City Council member, including the mayor, and put some people in there who will pay attention to their constituents. The first mayor will forever be remembered for his failed Centex development and destruction of the original Palm Coast resort. Perhaps the current Mayor Netts will be remembered for being voted out of office in disgrace over an unwanted City Hall on the far south side of Palm Coast in the middle of an empty field with a great view of a water feature that the residents likewise didn’t want?
No matter what these people say, it’s our money, not theirs.
Larry Stencel
Palm Coast
+ Buying foreclosed building is the most efficient option
Dear Editor:
Doesn’t it make sense to buy the foreclosed building from the bank?
We are working economically from these offices. It would save architectural costs, building costs, moving costs and any additional costs that seem to come with new buildings, i.e., liability insurance, regular insurance, property taxes, etc. — all would be more for a new building.
Before you spend our tax money for a new Town Center City Hall (which we do not need), please think about it seriously. Also, this was turned down once by the people by a vote. Doesn’t this have to come before the voters again?
Dorothy Vernier
Palm Coast
+ City should focus on bringing business to the city, not City Hall
Dear Editor:
The people have spoken numerous times, telling Mr. Landon “No new City Hall.” What doesn’t he understand? Instead of trying to figure out ways to get this unneeded City Hall, he should be spending all his time working on bringing new industry to the city (enough low-paying retail).
I think he just wants to see his name on a new City Hall building.
Scott Lamont
Palm Coast
+ Don’t succumb to developers; no need to build a City Hall
Dear Editor:
Last November, the mayor agreed that now wasn’t the time to build a City Hall. I’m certain his running for re-election had nothing to do with his position. What a difference six months makes.
Maybe the fact that we have the third-highest foreclosure rate in the country has caused him to flip-flop on this issue.
In my humble opinion, it’s still not the time to build a City Hall at Town Center or anyplace else in Palm Coast.
I agree that the city government made mistakes concerning this issue. Let’s not repeat them by spending tax dollars now, in order to complete a developer’s dream at Town Center. My advice is to build a City Hall in the future when conditions improve and insist on a location that the residents can be proud of, and not one to accommodate the developer’s plans.
Joe Cunnane
Palm Coast
— The Palm Coast Observer publishes all letters of general interest about local issues. Provide name and city of residence. Email [email protected].
