Preliminary construction estimates are the building will cost $6.8 MM. Bonds will be issued in the amount of $7.8 MM with any funds left over from the building to be used to remodel the existing courthouse into more courtroom space and other projects.
THE GUARDIAN hopes the new admin. building will result in closure of the Nampa Courthouse. The costs of running that place do not justify the expense. Closure of the Nampa Courthouse and selling off that property should result in enough money saved to put a serious dent in the cost of the new admin building by centralizing court needs in Caldwell.
Now is not the time to spend people. How about saving for a rainy day, re-establishing the carryover balance between quarters like our more fiscally conservative forefathers used to have?
ReplyDeleteWhat is not well understood is the Urban Renewal cash is still going to be collected. The county Commissioners can take the cash, put it into the general fund and it will disappear in one direction or another and we will have nothing to show for it. This approach will take that cash and dedicate it to something that may actually pay for itself if they can shut down the Nampa Courthouse and move it to the main courthouse complex in Caldwell.
DeleteUrban renewal cash will continue to be collected until 2022 and that will not change. If this new admin. building gets built we won't be facing endless requests to do the project down the road.
They were told no on the jail. Now they want an admin building? For what? They can rent any number of buildings for a fraction of that cost. This is a total waste of money. How are new diggs for the commishes going to pay for itself. Please tell me another joke. I need a good laugh.
ReplyDeleteI raised this question in the meeting about bonding for the new admin building. Comm. Kathy Alder and County Clerk Auditor Chris Yammamoto were at this meeting. The question I asked was what is the cost of running the Nampa Courthouse and what would be saved if it was closed and all court activity centralized at the main courthouse. Mr. Yammamoto volunteered it would save between $500 and $900,000/year. And the new admin building would permit moving the elections office into the new building and allow the old elections building to become an "alternative sentencing" facility for people sentenced to something other than jail time.
DeleteClearly, if they shutdown the Nampa Courthouse this move alone would pay for the new admin. building.
$500 and $900,000 a year? Anybody could make that kind of wild guess. How about some figures backed by facts?
DeleteBut you are dealing with the Canyon County Commissioners. They never do anything that makes sense. If they close the annex. If they move elections clearing the way to expand alternative sentencing. There are a lot of if's in your arguments. Our commishes however will builkd their new palace and do none of the above. When I hear them come out and lay that plan out publicly in the paper so when they go back on their promises it will be clearly seen by all how untrustworthy they are, then I might jump on board with this plan. Until then, my belief is they will build their palace and nix all other plans.
DeleteClearly, you're dreaming Paul. Ask the clerk how many people he is going to fire. Does anyone really think all that work will be absorbed at the courthouse without bringing the personnel at the Nampa Annex to Caldwell. Some savings, yes. $900,00, no way.
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