Karen you and I are on the same page our employees in the service center deserve a much better facility and nowhere in the Civic Center is there any kind of pain and discomfort at this level we can put the Civic Center off for another 5 years.
Consider that the cost of water has doubled in the last 4 years homeowner insurance rates have doubled in the last four years Excel rates are going to go up significantly in order to decommission the Pueblo number three coal furnace we need a little austerity here.
And in all fairness the Bob Burger facility is absolutely inadequate for our community
When I look at the cost I am thinking about myself and others who are, or soon will be, living on a fixed income and will be worried about paying for water, heating, and groceries while a new civic center is being built with their property tax increase.
With our continued focus on diversity and affordability, a move to increase property taxes hits those on the lower end of the economic scale the hardest. Many people are already struggling.
Karen... I have written a detailed email to city council urging them to separate city hall project and defer it on the basis that the future economic climate when combined with the past trends in cost of living will be more than many can bear. I share with council how difficult their message is to hear when combined with the pressing layoffs and liss of federal and state funding that supports many Lafayeyte households.
What is the city's track record on cost overruns with more recent but past projects? We need to find ways to make money by inducing business potential, not merely retail, unless retail attracts spenders from outside Lafayette. We need to think like business people. How can we promote business in our downtown area?
Retail is where the majority of our money comes from. Your comment about downtown is going to get me on my soapbox. 🤣 I have been hyping this for years. We should be reaching out beyond our borders to invite people from other communities to come to our downtown. That way, they have a great place to visit, to shop, eat and enjoy but they leave at the end of the day. They don't put a drain on the community the way additional rooftops do.
Since you clearly follow my posts (thank you!) you will be aware of the new Downtown Development Authority that was approved by voters in the district in November. A board was just approved by the council and I think we will see their first meeting soon. There is a plan for them to follow, and marketing is a part of it.
Karen yes indeed. Your point speaks loudly. Pay off the bond for the Waterpark. Pay off the badly needed Service Center upgrade and pay off the Bob Burger upgrade AND THEN talk to us about the Civic Center upgrade. Let's do this slowly, incrementally and based on need.
Karen I am all in on the service and maintenance facility expansion and the work of Bob Burger I am completely opposed to doing anything about our Civic Center until those other two issues are taken care of this city does not need to have a civic center that is any more elaborate or any different than the one that we have and we can wait until the Civic Center needs are as pressing as those at Bob burger and at the Fleet Maintenance
I agree we must act to improve the service center. I left the capital improvements tour shocked at the conditions there. The people who work out of that building are doing heavy and dirty work in ever-changing weather throughout the year, they deserve to come back to a building that provides much better accommodations than the current one.
I totally agree with both you and Ralph. We need to make our voices heard. Our property tax has over doubled in 17 years. And the water bills, even in the winter and staying at 3,000 gallons or less those bills are triple! Karen thanks so much for keeping us posted on the city issues
Karen you and I are on the same page our employees in the service center deserve a much better facility and nowhere in the Civic Center is there any kind of pain and discomfort at this level we can put the Civic Center off for another 5 years.
Consider that the cost of water has doubled in the last 4 years homeowner insurance rates have doubled in the last four years Excel rates are going to go up significantly in order to decommission the Pueblo number three coal furnace we need a little austerity here.
And in all fairness the Bob Burger facility is absolutely inadequate for our community
When I look at the cost I am thinking about myself and others who are, or soon will be, living on a fixed income and will be worried about paying for water, heating, and groceries while a new civic center is being built with their property tax increase.
With our continued focus on diversity and affordability, a move to increase property taxes hits those on the lower end of the economic scale the hardest. Many people are already struggling.
Yes. And there is a limit to what many people can afford. Water, power, food and the like take precedence over a shiny new Civic center.
Agreed
Karen... I have written a detailed email to city council urging them to separate city hall project and defer it on the basis that the future economic climate when combined with the past trends in cost of living will be more than many can bear. I share with council how difficult their message is to hear when combined with the pressing layoffs and liss of federal and state funding that supports many Lafayeyte households.
I will let you know if I hear anything back
That is an excellent way to present this to the council. Thanks for sharing.
What is the city's track record on cost overruns with more recent but past projects? We need to find ways to make money by inducing business potential, not merely retail, unless retail attracts spenders from outside Lafayette. We need to think like business people. How can we promote business in our downtown area?
Retail is where the majority of our money comes from. Your comment about downtown is going to get me on my soapbox. 🤣 I have been hyping this for years. We should be reaching out beyond our borders to invite people from other communities to come to our downtown. That way, they have a great place to visit, to shop, eat and enjoy but they leave at the end of the day. They don't put a drain on the community the way additional rooftops do.
Since you clearly follow my posts (thank you!) you will be aware of the new Downtown Development Authority that was approved by voters in the district in November. A board was just approved by the council and I think we will see their first meeting soon. There is a plan for them to follow, and marketing is a part of it.
https://www.lafayetteco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/42955/Old-Town-Tomorrow-Action-Plan?bidId=
The Bob Burger Center needs attention for sure
Don't forget we are still paying for the upgrade to the Great Outdoors Water Park.
Karen yes indeed. Your point speaks loudly. Pay off the bond for the Waterpark. Pay off the badly needed Service Center upgrade and pay off the Bob Burger upgrade AND THEN talk to us about the Civic Center upgrade. Let's do this slowly, incrementally and based on need.
😃 😊 😀
I sure appreciate your work efforts and dedication. There are days I think I should open an account at the Chocalateire Stams for you.
🤣 Thank you, Ralph! I appreciate your support.
Let me know when you do and I'll add to it!
Indeed I will let you know Cindy and we can do this as a community.
That might be going overboard, even I can only eat so much chocolate. 🤣 Donations via PayPal are very much appreciated though. 😊
Karen I am all in on the service and maintenance facility expansion and the work of Bob Burger I am completely opposed to doing anything about our Civic Center until those other two issues are taken care of this city does not need to have a civic center that is any more elaborate or any different than the one that we have and we can wait until the Civic Center needs are as pressing as those at Bob burger and at the Fleet Maintenance
I agree we must act to improve the service center. I left the capital improvements tour shocked at the conditions there. The people who work out of that building are doing heavy and dirty work in ever-changing weather throughout the year, they deserve to come back to a building that provides much better accommodations than the current one.
I totally agree with both you and Ralph. We need to make our voices heard. Our property tax has over doubled in 17 years. And the water bills, even in the winter and staying at 3,000 gallons or less those bills are triple! Karen thanks so much for keeping us posted on the city issues
I'm glad my reports are useful, Cindy.