[Vision2020] Latah County Courthouse Expansion Bond Election
Jack Nelson
jnelson@latah.id.us
Fri, 10 Jan 2003 16:41:20 -0800
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_000D_01C2B8C7.1B6E4790
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
To Bill London and Vision 2020 members
I want to apologize to those of you who feel that public input of this issue
was not at the level that you would have liked. I can assure you that the
courthouse overcrowding issue was discussed for at least the last four years
in various forums of which most involved the general public.
To answer Mr. London's questions and concerns:
1. We would agree that this is not the best economic times; however
there are some benefits to running a bond issue at this: a) interest rates
are at a 40 year low (which is a large benefit); b) the possible cost of
construction is lower due to lesser demand for building supplies and labor;
(for example, we hear that the cost of finished lumber is below the cost of
production). c) doing the project at this time will possibly offer some
stimulus to the local economy and d) during the 15 year life of the bond
issue, there will certainly be up and down economic cycles (So when is the
best time?)
The present plan is to leave the leased offices for motor vehicle and
drivers license where they presently are, this seems to be the general
desire of the public. However, we feel that in the long term owning is more
practical than leasing when it comes to general office and storage space.
2. Our hopes are that the actual expenditure will be less than the
$20,000 budgeted for bond issue education. The courthouse facilities
committee and the commissioners felt that there certainly had to be some
type of effort to educate the public in regards to courthouse overcrowding
and the possible need for courthouse expansion. (As you all realize
advertising is expensive)
3. This bond election cannot be combined with another local election this
spring or fall. The next opportunity to combine this issue with another
election would be the general elections in 2004.
4. With the courthouse addition as planned the "Grace Wick's Tree" would
have to be removed. Plans are to plant a replacement tree or grove of trees
as well as using the lumber from the "Grace Wicks Tree" to build memorial
benches and picnic tables.
Again, we invite you to visit the courthouse and as always submit any
question or concerns to the commissioners.
Jack Nelson, Commissioner
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]On
Behalf Of Bill London
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 10:10 AM
To: cstorhok@latah.id.us; Vision2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Latah County Courthouse Expansion Bond Election
My thanks to both Chris Storhok and Jack Nelson in requesting input
regarding the Feb. bond election ($2.5million for expanding the Latah County
Courthouse).
I do have some questions and concerns about this bond election and the
courthouse expansion project.
1. Given the pathetic economic situation (and especially the UI budget
woes) and the hardship that raising taxes to pass this bond would create,
would it be reasonable to rent space to ease the overcrowding? The
licensing office moved out of the courthouse to rented space at the Eastside
Marketplace years ago--has that been a problem?
2. About $20,000 of taxpayer money is being spent on an "education"
campaign that so far seems like one-sided advertising to support the bond.
Is this expense alienating voters and making the bond passage less likely?
3. Why was it necessary to incur the expense of a special election in
February? Could this bond have been combined with other elections later in
the year?
4. The expansion will require the cutting of the beautiful spruce tree
in the parking lot at the courthouse (the "Grace Wicks Tree"). Was any
thought given to saving that tree?
BL
Chris Storhok wrote:
Dear Visionaries,
The Latah County Commissioners have decided to hold an election for a
bond issue for a courthouse addition on Feb 4, 2003. The bond will be for
$2.5 million and will pay for construction of a approximately 16,800 square
feet addition to the present courthouse as well as remodeling of the old
wing. The new addition will attach to the northeast corner of the current
courthouse and will run parallel to 5th street. As you are aware we are in
the process of trying to educate the public for the need for this expansion.
It has come to our attention that some members of the public still have
ideas and/or concerns about the project the the commissioners may have not
addressed. We are inviting you to let us know your ideas, comments, or
concerns and we will respond to your issues. You can contact us either
through giving us a call, personally visiting us, or posting to Vision 2020.
Latah County has posted information about this project on its web site
www.latah.id.us.
Thanks,
Commissioner Jack Nelson
jnelson@latah.id.us
and
Chris Storhok
Latah County Rural Development Services
cstorhok@latah.id.us
------=_NextPart_000_000D_01C2B8C7.1B6E4790
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.50.4134.600" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D898443623-09012003>To=20
Bill London and Vision 2020 members</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D898443623-09012003>I want=20
to apologize to those of you who feel that public input of this issue =
was not at=20
the level that you would have liked. I can assure you that the =
courthouse=20
overcrowding issue was discussed for at least the last four years=20
in various forums of which most involved the general=20
public. =
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D898443623-09012003>To=20
answer Mr. London's questions and concerns:</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003>1. We would agree=20
that this is not the best economic times; however there are some =
benefits=20
to running a bond issue at this: a) interest rates are at a 40 year low =
(which=20
is a large benefit); b) the possible cost of construction is lower =
due=20
to lesser demand for building supplies and labor; (for =
example,=20
we hear that the cost of finished lumber is below the cost of=20
production). c) doing the project at this time will possibly offer =
some stimulus to the local economy and d) during the 15 year life =
of the=20
bond issue, there will certainly be up and down economic cycles (So when =
is the=20
best time?) </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003> The present plan is to =
leave=20
the leased offices for motor vehicle and drivers license where they =
presently are, this seems to be the general desire of the public. =
However,=20
we feel that in the long term owning is more practical than leasing when =
it=20
comes to general office and storage =
space. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003>2. Our hopes =
are that the=20
actual expenditure will be less than the $20,000 budgeted for bond =
issue=20
education. The courthouse facilities committee and the =
commissioners=20
felt that there certainly had to be some type of effort to educate the =
public in=20
regards to courthouse overcrowding and the possible need for courthouse=20
expansion. (As you all realize advertising is=20
expensive) </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2><SPAN class=3D898443623-09012003> 3. This =
bond=20
election cannot be combined with another local election =
this spring or=20
fall. The next opportunity to combine this issue with another =
election=20
would be the general =
elections in 2004. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003>4. With the courthouse addition =
as planned=20
the "Grace Wick's Tree" would have to be removed. Plans are to =
plant a=20
replacement tree or grove of trees as well as using the lumber from the =
"Grace=20
Wicks Tree" to build memorial benches and picnic=20
tables.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D898443623-09012003>Again,=20
we invite you to visit the courthouse and as always submit any question =
or=20
concerns to the commissioners.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D898443623-09012003>Jack=20
Nelson, Commissioner</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D898443623-09012003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D898443623-09012003> =20
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr style=3D"MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"=20
size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> =
vision2020-admin@moscow.com=20
[mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]<B>On Behalf Of</B> Bill=20
London<BR><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, January 04, 2003 10:10 =
AM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
cstorhok@latah.id.us; Vision2020<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] =
Latah=20
County Courthouse Expansion Bond=20
Election<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> My thanks to both =
Chris=20
Storhok and Jack Nelson in requesting input regarding the Feb. bond =
election=20
($2.5million for expanding the Latah County Courthouse).=20
<BR> I do have some questions and concerns about =
this bond=20
election and the courthouse expansion project. <BR> =
1. Given=20
the pathetic economic situation (and especially the UI budget woes) =
and the=20
hardship that raising taxes to pass this bond would create, would it =
be=20
reasonable to rent space to ease the overcrowding? The licensing =
office=20
moved out of the courthouse to rented space at the Eastside =
Marketplace years=20
ago--has that been a problem? <BR> 2. About $20,000 =
of=20
taxpayer money is being spent on an "education" campaign that so far =
seems=20
like one-sided advertising to support the bond. Is this expense=20
alienating voters and making the bond passage less likely?=20
<BR> 3. Why was it necessary to incur the expense of =
a=20
special election in February? Could this bond have been combined =
with=20
other elections later in the year? <BR> 4. The =
expansion=20
will require the cutting of the beautiful spruce tree in the parking =
lot at=20
the courthouse (the "Grace Wicks Tree"). Was any thought given =
to saving=20
that tree? <BR>BL <BR> =20
<P>Chris Storhok wrote:=20
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=3D"CITE"> =20
<P><FONT size=3D-1>Dear Visionaries,</FONT> <BR><FONT size=3D-1>The =
Latah County=20
Commissioners have decided to hold an election for a bond issue for =
a=20
courthouse addition on Feb 4, 2003. The bond will be for $2.5 =
million and=20
will pay for construction of a approximately 16,800 square feet =
addition to=20
the present courthouse as well as remodeling of the old wing. The =
new=20
addition will attach to the northeast corner of the current =
courthouse and=20
will run parallel to 5th street. As you are aware we are in =
the=20
process of trying to educate the public for the need for this=20
expansion. It has come to our attention that some =
members of the=20
public still have ideas and/or concerns about the project the the=20
commissioners may have not addressed. We are inviting =
you to let=20
us know your ideas, comments, or concerns and we will respond to =
your=20
issues. You can contact us either through giving us a call, =
personally=20
visiting us, or posting to Vision 2020. Latah County has =
posted=20
information about this project on its web site =
www.latah.id.us.</FONT>=20
<P><FONT size=3D-1>Thanks,</FONT> <BR><FONT size=3D-1>Commissioner =
Jack=20
Nelson</FONT> <BR><FONT size=3D-1><A=20
href=3D"mailto:jnelson@latah.id.us">jnelson@latah.id.us</A></FONT>=20
<P><FONT size=3D-1>and</FONT> <BR><FONT size=3D-1>Chris =
Storhok</FONT> <BR><FONT=20
size=3D-1>Latah County Rural Development Services</FONT>=20
<P><FONT size=3D-1><A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:cstorhok@latah.id.us">cstorhok@latah.id.us</A></FONT></P><=
/BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_000D_01C2B8C7.1B6E4790--