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Edgerton City Hall going to referendum

EDGERTON — Edgerton residents will vote Tuesday, June 2, to decide if the city should borrow $1.2 million to build and furnish a new City Hall.

The city council Monday night unanimously approved a referendum with little discussion.

Most of the discussion centered on the referendum date, with Alderman Matt McIntyre saying residents needed until fall to become informed about the project.

But others worried the city could lose out on low interest rates. They said the city could wage an adequate information campaign in the next six weeks before people get busy with summer activities.

The new City Hall will be 5,000 square feet and be built on the corner of Albion and West Fulton streets.

Residents would not notice the borrowing on their taxes because the city is paying off other capital projects.

McIntyre said people told him during his last campaign that they weren't ready to make a decision on a new City Hall. He said people are unsettled because of the economy.

But Mayor Erik Thompson said now is the time to build because material, labor and interest costs are low. The project has momentum that could be lost over the summer, and a June 2 referendum would give the city more time to apply for grants, he said.

Thompson said the city has been talking about the project for more than a year, and six weeks is enough time to launch a door-to-door information campaign and to hold listening sessions.

Alderman Ken Westby agreed that the council runs the risk of interest rates climbing if it delays.

Brian Demrow, a member of the audience, said summer is the worst time to engage residents busy with vacations and ball games.

Andrea Egerstaffer, who replaces Casey Burns on the council today, said people only need to see the inadequacies of the current building to believe a replacement is needed.

"How many City Halls have their bathrooms in the same room your chambers are?" she asked.

The city was forced to move its court because the hall is so crowded.

"It's just so inadequate," she said.

"I think a lot of people are ashamed to come down here and look at it," Westby said. "They see the picture in the paper and they (think), 'Good God, that's our City Hall,' and they're ashamed of it ..I've seen horse barns that look better than this building."

Alderman Chris Lund said the city council was "being given an opportunity right now to do something to help our community and save money in the long run."

A new City Hall would be something residents could be proud of and show that the city is progressive, Thompson said.

"It's going to send business the message that this city is moving forward," Thompson said.

"It's going to bring some good things to the city."