City Council Reacts to Ren. Square Project
By: Nadia Bashir
Updated: June 24, 2009
City Council introduced the issue of funding Mayor Tom Henry's plan to move the city's offices to Renaissance Square.
Procedurally, the issue will be open for discussion at the next meeting. Council will vote on it at the meeting after that.
Mayor Tom Henry says the move will save the city money and be more efficient.
Councilwoman Liz Brown, Chair of the Finance Committee, agrees the Police Department needs a new facility because it has outgrown the current one. But she is also concerned about residents feeling saddled with too many costs. "That's just hard for the citizens to take right now," she said. Brown also says citizens are being asked to pay higher rates for utilities and will question how the city can afford to spend millions on the move to a new building. Brown says she would like to look at the numbers to see how they work out for the taxpayers.
Council President Tom Smith, says he would also like to look at the numbers. One concern presented by a resident at the meeting was what will happen to the current building if the city leaves. If the space is left unleased, the county will lose money which will cost all of Allen County's taxpayers money.
