Eastpointe, MI - MORE SPENDING - New City Hall

Well...... here they/we go, with another high cost, long term commitment, which Eastpointe does not need, nor can we afford another burden, and....
not allowing the residents to vote on such an important item.

Positive Item -
At least, the current elected officials have taken a direction to acquire a report of all our city owned buildings and facilities to see the bigger picture.
Ok, that's all for the positive.

Everyone should read this report. It provides many important findings. Past and present council / staff have not been taking proper action or care of OUR buildings.
Conditions of all our buildings require repairs and updates. Many have the same common problems; electrical, plumbing, leaking roofs, etc., and even the typical lack of general maintenance.
Enough with the comments and excuses on the past and get on with the future but.. in an appropriate, logical manner. Focus on resolving the MANY BUILDING CONDITIONS now, not just a single item replacement - City Hall. Plan for the future. Maybe some day, one of our elected officials will stand up and share such a master plan goal, more than once a year.

Now -
Why did this building status report take so long to request with the current administration, let alone the previous administration?
Let's not forget who the current and past administration are/were, what involvement do they/do not have in various EP city items, etc. today.

Why didn't our own building department officials supply the reports?
Elected officials must feel our own people are not capable of such a necessary task?
Apparently not, as they spent $30,000+ to have an outside firm provide a report on all city buildings, along with the new city hall study and an artist concept of a new city hall.

Why are budgets not including building repairs, updates each year?
Other items get put to the top of the list and/or approved before taking care of our buildings. Our city employees should be taking care of our buildings on a regular basis.

Applying mass quantities of monies into one building (City Hall replacement) is not the correct solution. Funds should be distributed over several building repairs not sinking it all into one.
So, how will the other building repairs be handled?
Our Mayor stated a comment along the lines of, "that's down the road, figuring out one at a time for now".
This is clearly not a proper, correct, thought out plan at all.

Where will the funds come from for even making temporary repairs to keep the other buildings up to proper operationing conditions?

Only when sufficient funds have been set aside, ear-marked to build or replace a building (without commitment for such a high, long term bond or millage increase) and only then, should forward direction be taken on a city hall or any building replacement. This is serving the needs of one and leaving out all the others.

The best route would be to incorporate several buildings into one and sell off the others to increase revenue and rezone. No reason that this could not start now, add on as we go, smaller amounts of money at a time.
Leasing space at a non-city owned building is foolish to say the least.
Modify and/or enhance an existing city building and be done with it. We have all invested in this city, not just a particular group or age of people.

Interesting that our money seems to find it's way into items that should be at the bottom of the want list or deleted altogether. The pool is one such item that should have stayed closed (set up a program with other cities and another is the support of a non-city event like the Gratiot Cruise (they give to local charity, ok but, when it's our city money we should be allowed to make our own decisions on charity donations).
At least on my own, I can gain a tax credit and help those I prefer to support. The few thousand dollars presented from Eastpointe Gratiot Cruise, Inc. to the city (not a city function) is a mere drop in the bucket compared to the ten's of thousands of dollars that it cost us as well as some businesses.

With the continuing increases in cost of water, taxes, special millages, you are breaking the backs of current and future residents, as well as, preventing others and new businesses from locating to EP.

By the way, what is the outcome on other reports/studies, approved by the mayor and council, regarding spending ten's of thousands? There should be no problem in providing an update at the next public meeting, 12/5/06.

Another item for thought, with the current rate of vacant homes in EP, equals a decrease in water/waste, usage/processing = income. One can easily predict another water rate increase spring, 07. The W & S department cost can't go down as we need the staff and materials for repairs, rate increases, insurance, etc. What's next, contract that out to?