Old Courthouse Square reunification at risk?
Published: Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 5:14 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 5:14 a.m.
Santa Rosa's plan to reunify Old Courthouse Square as a downtown park and arts venue may be in jeopardy.
Unions representing city workers persuaded the City Council to postpone action Tuesday, arguing against spending $555,000 on a design contract while hundreds of employees face the prospect of unpaid furloughs to help close a projected $5 million deficit.
"We have no argument with the Courthouse Square project," said Tim Doherty, president of the Santa Rosa firefighters union. "We're not trying to kill it."
But Doherty echoed the sentiments of the leaders of four other unions who questioned how the council could justify the expense when it is considering shutting down city agencies for a week at Christmas.
"That's essentially a 2 percent pay cut," said Paul Carroll, union representative for transit workers and police technicians. "Two percent can change your life."
Business owners, joined by two former council members, argued that scrapping the reunification project would deal an economic blow to downtown.
A reunified square "will accelerate the vitality of our downtown," said Chris Messina, executive director of Santa Rosa Main Street, a downtown lobbying group.
A decision on whether to move ahead with Courthouse Square probably will be made Jan. 29 when the council holds its mid-year budget review.
The council agreed to postpone action on a design contract for SWA Group of Sausalito until then, giving time to find the four council votes needed to approve the $555,000 pact or find money from a different source.
Councilwoman Jane Bender, a leading proponent of the Courthouse Square project, said she's not sure the four votes exist. "It does sound like it's in jeopardy," she said.
If the project stalls, Bender said the city's "credibility will be down the tubes" because it sponsored a contest to pick a designer and promised the winner a contract.
Of the money set aside to pay for the design contract, $450,000 would come from the city Redevelopment Agency. The balance, $105,000, would come from the general fund, the part of the budget that finances the bulk of city services including police, fire, planning, park and recreation and public works.
Bender and Councilwoman Susan Gorin, who also supports the project, believe that money can be found elsewhere.
Gorin said she'd look at reducing the council's own budget as a first step. "We're only looking for $105,000. We can find it somewhere."
Council members Lee Pierce and Carol Dean weren't so sure in light of spending cuts the city still faces and the potential for additional cutbacks related to the state's $14 billion budget deficit.
Dean said the city may have to ask SWA to pare down its contract to match the $450,000 in redevelopment money the city has available.
Pierce said the morale of city's workers is an important factor to consider. He supported the 21-day delay so the council can get a better handle on its budgetary future.
Councilwoman Veronica Jacobi said she'll also wait to come to a conclusion after the Jan. 29 meeting.
"I know it's a valuable project," she said, "but our employees are valuable too."
General fund money for the square was set aside two years ago when the council reduced its budget reserve, freeing $8 million to be spent on various projects on a one-time basis.
City Manager Jeff Kolin said he will determine how much of the $8 million has been spent.
Other earmarks included $1.2 million to study a downtown performing arts center, $500,000 in seed money for a new senior center, $300,000 to expand soccer fields at A Place to Play and $200,000 for preliminary design of a southwest-area library and community center.
Whether any unspent money would at risk should the council kill the Courthouse Square project remains in question.
Bender said the reserve funds are one-time money and shouldn't be used to fund employee pay raises that carry over from year to year.
The deciding vote could rest with Mayor Bob Blanchard who was on vacation Tuesday.
Councilman John Sawyer is prohibited from voting on the square because he owns a downtown business.
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