Tracking code caldwell guardian

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Mayor Casts Deciding Vote on $190K Carnige Library Purchase

The local paper had a story this week the City of Caldwell purchased the old Carnige Library from the Cadlwell School District for a mere $190K.  What the local paper did not say was how City Councilors voted.  A prompt from THE GUARDIAN did not get any response from the reporter who wrote the story.  His article left the readers to wonder how our elected folks voted. 

Here is the response I got late today from City Clerk, Debbie Geyer:

Ozuna, Hopper, Callsen..... voted for the purchase

Biggers, Pollard, Blacker......voted against the purchase

Mayor Nancolas cast the tie breaking vote to purchase the old library.

Why the local paper did not put this in their story is a mystery but here it is for GUARDIAN readers.  The other missing part of the story is where the $190K will come from. 

Posted by Paul Alldredge at 10:07 PM

4 comments:

  1. AnonymousMonday, November 11, 2013 10:43:00 AM

    Bob says:
    Given all the support Caldwell residents have given the Caldwell School District, why didn't they just sign over the property to the VFW and the American Legion. Bond and override elections are approved regularly and to grub more money from Caldwell taxpayers seems wrong to me.

    The second issue is, it appears that this old pile of bricks will remain just that without any serious money going to bring it up to modern codes and standards. Caldwell city officials continue to spend money on all kinds of projects all over town to the further decline of a seriously blighted downtown area. Can anyone tell me if there is any kind of defined plan to dedicate any public money to clean up downtown Caldwell or is it left to disintegrate more and more with each passing year.

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    Replies
    1. Paul AlldredgeMonday, November 11, 2013 3:35:00 PM

      What is easy to forget is the amount of money school districts have had to give up due to urban renewal. All the new housing in urban renewal districts contribute nothing to school districts other than the "base value" of the land before houses were built and sold. All this left property owners outside the URA to pay for schools. Caldwell East Urban Renewal Agency has cost Caldwell and Vallivue School districts millions and millions in foregone property tax dollars.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousMonday, November 11, 2013 6:49:00 PM

      Not to mention every other government entity that's operating costs are funded by property taxes. At least everyone likes schools and children enough to vote for their levies when their funding dried up thanks to a poor economy and urban renewal. How have other entities fared? Oh that's right, the words "suck it up" and "do more with less" come to mind. I agree it would have been a show of good faith by the school district to hand it over. Living outside the URA I'm sick of paying ever more taxes thanks to the sacred cow called the school district. They at least have people who care to make sure they are properly funded.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMonday, November 11, 2013 2:22:00 PM

    You know, I agree with the comment about the school district not just handing over the property to Caldwell citizens. It would have shown some good faith and an way to return something to the community. That money spent to buy the place would have gone a long way into restoring the structure, now it will sit and be just another dump to feast our eyes on as we drive down Cleveland Blvd.

    ReplyDelete

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