Letters to the editor - July 16, 2010
Armory should be a lesson to city officials
To the editor:
I have been reading with interest the letters coming in to the Sentry urging the city of South Portland to purchase the new structure on Waterman Drive and turn it into our new city hall and I must say the enthusiasm expressed by the various writers of said letters amuses me greatly.
I also find myself wondering where these people live as it is difficult to imagine that South Portland residents – the ones whose tax dollars will support such a purchase – would be encouraging the acquisition of this building when Mahoney Middle School would serve equally as well, with space left over, to get all of the city’s various departments under one roof.
I personally am still smarting from the city council’s decision to acquire the armory, just in case some genius decided that it might be suitable for a new city hall. Our former city manager Jeff Jordan was determined that $650,000 tax dollars should be wasted on the purchase of that structure rather than to let The Children’s Theater of Maine use it in a way that would have added significantly to the atmosphere and culture of South Portland.
It is my personal opinion, which incidentally is shared by most people with whom I have discussed this matter, that if the members of the South Portland City Council managed their personal checkbooks the way they oversee the city checkbook, they would all be in bankruptcy court instead of meeting in their moldy chambers for the purpose of doing their level best to bankrupt this city.
Linford Doyle
South Portland
City officials should look at priorities before city hall
To the editor:
Now is not the time to be thinking about a new city hall. The high school renovation should top the city’s priority list followed by relocation of the public works facility currently located in a residential neighborhood.
To paraphrase what I’ve read, some councilors and the developer in support of a new city hall at 100 Waterman Drive say they wouldn’t wait too long, that the building is perfect and the deal won’t be around forever.
It may be perceived by some as a bargain now (though the building is empty and no one has even stated the price) but we can’t afford it at any price if we need to make a commitment when we have more pressing needs.
The order of the questions should be No. 1: Do we need a new city hall? No. 2: Is now the right time? No. 3: Where should it be?
It seems we are trying to answer question three without getting input from enough citizens on either one or two. I have yet to hear anyone who thinks we should buy a new city hall right now aside from city staff, a few current city councilors and one ex-councilor.
In the short term, we can get by with a new roof and furnace and we don’t need to have all city departments under one roof. If we should decide we need a new city hall and we have weathered the economic storm (i.e. laid off workers are rehired), let’s go at this issue in a more methodical way, carefully looking at the cost estimates and projected revenues from the sale of city property. Mahoney Middle School or renovation of the existing city hall may turn out to be better options. Leave 100 Waterman Drive on the property tax rolls. Counting on the sale of the existing city hall is the same argument used when we bought the armory.
Dan Hogan
South Portland
To the editor:
I have been reading with interest the letters coming in to the Sentry urging the city of South Portland to purchase the new structure on Waterman Drive and turn it into our new city hall and I must say the enthusiasm expressed by the various writers of said letters amuses me greatly.
I also find myself wondering where these people live as it is difficult to imagine that South Portland residents – the ones whose tax dollars will support such a purchase – would be encouraging the acquisition of this building when Mahoney Middle School would serve equally as well, with space left over, to get all of the city’s various departments under one roof.
I personally am still smarting from the city council’s decision to acquire the armory, just in case some genius decided that it might be suitable for a new city hall. Our former city manager Jeff Jordan was determined that $650,000 tax dollars should be wasted on the purchase of that structure rather than to let The Children’s Theater of Maine use it in a way that would have added significantly to the atmosphere and culture of South Portland.
It is my personal opinion, which incidentally is shared by most people with whom I have discussed this matter, that if the members of the South Portland City Council managed their personal checkbooks the way they oversee the city checkbook, they would all be in bankruptcy court instead of meeting in their moldy chambers for the purpose of doing their level best to bankrupt this city.
Linford Doyle
South Portland
City officials should look at priorities before city hall
To the editor:
Now is not the time to be thinking about a new city hall. The high school renovation should top the city’s priority list followed by relocation of the public works facility currently located in a residential neighborhood.
To paraphrase what I’ve read, some councilors and the developer in support of a new city hall at 100 Waterman Drive say they wouldn’t wait too long, that the building is perfect and the deal won’t be around forever.
It may be perceived by some as a bargain now (though the building is empty and no one has even stated the price) but we can’t afford it at any price if we need to make a commitment when we have more pressing needs.
The order of the questions should be No. 1: Do we need a new city hall? No. 2: Is now the right time? No. 3: Where should it be?
It seems we are trying to answer question three without getting input from enough citizens on either one or two. I have yet to hear anyone who thinks we should buy a new city hall right now aside from city staff, a few current city councilors and one ex-councilor.
In the short term, we can get by with a new roof and furnace and we don’t need to have all city departments under one roof. If we should decide we need a new city hall and we have weathered the economic storm (i.e. laid off workers are rehired), let’s go at this issue in a more methodical way, carefully looking at the cost estimates and projected revenues from the sale of city property. Mahoney Middle School or renovation of the existing city hall may turn out to be better options. Leave 100 Waterman Drive on the property tax rolls. Counting on the sale of the existing city hall is the same argument used when we bought the armory.
Dan Hogan
South Portland
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