When the DeKalb city council discusses remodeling City Hall at its Sept. 23 regular meeting they will only have about $3.3 million in downtown TIF funds to spend instead of the $4.5 million originally planned. TIFF revenue projections were reduced due to the decline in property values in the city.
The narrative in the 572-page agenda states that the project was originally funded at the $4.5 million level even though the matter is on the agenda under Committee of the Whole. Assume the sale, I guess.
PSA Dewberry, architect for the new police station nearing completion, has submitted an ala carte menu in spreadsheet form for the council to spend the revised $3.3 million in projected TIF funds available. The lowest cost projection for a totally remodeled City Hall is $7,234,991. At that price the council could approve $6,750,000 for a brand new City Hall with similar construction and detailing to the police station. According to the narrative provided in the agenda by Interim City Manager, Rudy Espiritu, “It is clear that a complete top to bottom remodel of the building will not be an option.”
The council will also once again consider the annexation of the Iron Gate subdivision. When new construction in DeKalb was at its peak in an unprecedented boom is when new schools, police station, library and city hall were originally proposed. There hasn’t been a residential annexation approved since those plans. There’s also never been a Plan B presented to the public or even a full public disclosure and discussion of the EPI financial report that strongly recommended against taking on any more debt elst the financial disaster that got EPI the consulting job in the first place be repeated.
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