• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

City Hall referendum vote looms in Edgerton

Photo

Photo by Gazette File Photo

The Edgerton City Council is debating whether or not to hold a referendum on rebuilding or replacing its offices at 12 Albion St.

EDGERTON — The Edgerton City Council could face a close vote Monday on a referendum to build a new City Hall.

A City Hall committee will present its recommendations at the meeting, but the council must decide if and when to go to referendum, how much money to ask for and how to word the referendum question.

Mayor Erik Thompson appointed the ad-hoc committee in February 2008 to study the city's aging facility. The building at 12 Albion St. is more than 100 years old, and experts have said it needs significant repair, if not replacement.

The committee, with the help of an architectural firm, considered repairing the existing building, building new and moving into an existing building. It recommends spending $1.2 million to build a new City Hall in the municipal parking lot next to the existing one.

Officials have said the city can accommodate the price without raising property taxes, but city ordinance requires major building projects to go to referendum.

The committee is recommending a June referendum, but some council members believe that's too soon, especially with the economic recession.

"I think we should wait a little bit, maybe see if things turn around in the summer, and possibly do a September referendum," Alderwoman Carrie Strahota said.

The public needs more time to learn details, and residents might be more likely to approve the project if the economy improves over the summer, she said.

Alderman Matt McIntyre favors waiting until April 2010 or later, he said.

The city spent $7,000 this winter on temporary repairs. That should keep the building safe for a few years, McIntyre said.

"My point of view is that if City Hall is working, it's functioning and it's safe, let's hold off until we get out of this economic crisis in the community," he said.

Even if the project doesn't raise taxes, residents still have to pay the money back, McIntyre said. Residents he has talked to would rather spend money on road improvements, he said.

But Alderman Chris Lund said a new City Hall is necessary, and the sooner, the better. The old building is inefficient and inadequate to staff's needs, he said.

Plus, the city could save money by building the facility now when material costs, labor costs and interest rates are low, he said.

"With as many people who are looking for work, I think the labor costs could be something that could be favorable to building now," he said.

Thompson and Alderman Ken Westby said they were undecided on the timing of the referendum. Both believe the project is necessary, but they want to hold a referendum when it has the best chance of passing, they said.

Thompson will vote only if there's a tie.

"I just hope the people of the city don't wait until the damn building falls down and somebody gets killed before it beans them on the head and they decide, ‘You know what, it's time we build,'" Westby said.

Aldermen Ron Webb and Casey Burns couldn't be reached for comment.

The vote comes the day before two new council members take office. Mark Wellnitz defeated Westby by one vote in the spring elections, and Andrea Egerstaffer won an uncontested race after Burns decided not to run again.

Wellnitz ran on a platform of cutting city spending and believes the city should wait a few years before building a new City Hall.

Thompson said the decision has to happen Monday because that's the deadline to submit a referendum question to the county for a June 2 referendum.

He hopes for a large turnout at Monday's meeting, he said.

"We're encouraging everybody in the city who wants to know more about the project to come," he said.