By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
The Yachats City Council is moving ahead with plans to get drawings and bids to remodel the 501 Building for city offices, despite the sudden misgivings of two council members contending it needs still more study.
A pro-forma request last week by City Manager Shannon Beaucaire to proceed with getting basic architectural and engineering specifications and then to solicit bids to remodel the interior of the former bank building swerved into a debate over whether to proceed with the 4-year-old project.
After questions, comments, a synopsis of the history of the former bank and what studies had already been done, the council voted 3-2 Wednesday, Oct. 2 to have Beaucaire proceed. Councilor Leslie Vaaler, who argued unsuccessfully to again study the building’s use, and James Kerti voted no.
Since taking office in January, Vaaler and Kerti have grown more willing to question Beaucaire on various plans or challenge previous council decisions. But last week they ran into firm pushback from the three other council members.
The timing of their objections was unusual because the city Budget Committee – of which Vaaler and Kerti are members — and the full council twice approved money for the project just months ago.
“Is the council fulfilling its duty as policy makers?” Vaaler asked Wednesday. “Is it the type of building we and the community wants. Is it a price we can afford? Can we be having a discussion if this is what we want to do?”
That quickly brought responses from Mayor John Moore and councilors Max Glenn and Jim Tooke.
Moore said the current space for city offices is “woefully inadequate.” He said the city bought the bank four years ago with the idea of moving the library there. When – after two years of discussion and study – that proved to be too expensive, the council discussed it more and decided its best use was for city offices and a council chamber.
That would allow the city to then remodel the current city offices and council chamber in the Commons building, opening it up as a larger public space.
The city bought the building and parking area from Bank of the West for $500,000 – using $200,000 from lodging taxes and the remainder as a loan from the city’s water fund. The city has repaid $66,000 of that loan and is studying ways to pay it off faster.
Glenn said he co-chaired a committee in 2015-16 to look at uses for the 501 Building. After all the various studies and decisions, he chided Vaaler for bringing up the issue just when the city is soliciting – but not accepting – bids.
“I see this as a finalizing of a process that started four years ago with lots of community input,” Glenn said. “I regret that Councilor Vaaler wasn’t involved earlier … but now is not the time to start this process all over again.”
Kerti said he would “feel better if there was more community involvement” in deciding the building’s use.
But Tooke responded that he served on the four-member committee of council and Library Commission members studying the best use of the building, including for the library, a visitors center, and for the youth program now in the Commons’ basement.
“It’s time to move forward,” he said.
The city has received a $91,000 federal grant and has budgeted $75,000 this year for the remodel and move. If costs go over that, Moore said, the city can proceed in phases “and pay as we go.”
Facilities manager Heather Hoen told Vaaler and the council that getting architectural and engineering specifications and soliciting bids will simply allow the city to more accurately pinpoint costs and where, if any, adjustments can be made.
“I’m comfortable we can stay close to the projected numbers … and you can turn down the bid if you don’t like it,” Hoen told the council.
