Hang on to your pocketbook – the $12-19 million city hall is back!

30-January-2019

FROM THE DESK OF GEORGE KRAMER

Dear Mr. Mayor and Members of the Council

I am writing to express my frustration and dismay that the City is still considering three multi-million dollar options to replace city hall with a new and larger structure. As a member of last year’s Ad Hoc Committee I urge you to stop this wasteful discussion and consider reasonable, appropriate, solutions to address the acknowledged issues at city hall in a responsible and fiscally sound manner.

The options before you do not represent the overwhelming consensus of the Ad Hoc Committee but rather represent a staff-driven effort to get what it wants, and wants us to pay for. The entire Ad Hoc was artificially constrained. The very premise of staff growth and space needs as the result of staff growth that drove that process were designed to create a false need and justification. Ashland is a small town. We do not need, and can not afford, a $12-20 million dollar palace to city government. You must stop wasting your time, and our money, on this. You know voters will never pass a bond for this and wasting other funds will result in pushback, I can guarantee you.

There is certainly a need to upgrade City Hall and I support reasonable approaches toward doing so. We should, as a community, consider what we need what is possible, and proceed. Twelve-million dollar monuments to ever-expanding government are not appropriate.

Go back and spend our money as you would spend your own. Is that too much for we citizens to expect?

Sincerely,

George Kramer

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