[Press Release] : Public Buildings Committee schedules tour of city office space

[pr-l at news.gocolumbiamo.com]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Tony St. Romaine, Assistant City Manager - (573) 874-7721 

Public Buildings Committee schedules tour of city office space

COLUMBIA, MO (August 14, 2006) -- In advance of a public hearing on future office needs, the city of Columbia’s Public Buildings Committee will tour several sites that will be affected by renovation and expansion of the Daniel Boone Building. According to Assistant City Manager Tony St. Romaine, the tour is set for Wednesday, Aug. 16, from 4 - 5 p.m. 

“Committee members want to be clear about project goals as public discussion goes forward,” St. Romaine said. “The Public Buildings Committee unanimously supports the construction plan and wants to be able to answer questions expressed in the community.”  

The City Council will hold a public hearing on the project as part of its regular meeting on Monday, August 14, starting at 7 p.m., in the Council Chamber on the fourth floor of the Daniel Boone Building. “We really have not heard people say we shouldn’t have adequate office space for city employees or that local government should not respond to needs as Columbia grows, St. Romaine said. “Nevertheless, we’re eager to educate citizens about space needs, project financing or any other aspect of this project.”

Committee members will tour the Daniel Boone Building, the smaller, adjacent “annex” immediately to its east and the Gates/Rader Building immediately north of the annex. St. Romaine said that both of the smaller buildings have housed city employees for years but will be razed. “The annex and Gates/Rader structures are sub-par by any standard,” he said. “They were convenient office locations on an interim basis, but they have deteriorated and are not worth further public investment.”

The $21 million project is part of the city’s continuing plan to properly house its employees in a location that is more accessible and convenient for citizens.  When the project is complete, more employees will be in a central location and in a position to provide better-coordinated service.

St. Romaine said that project financing does not include new taxes and, when the building is paid off in 20 years, the city will own it, free and clear. “We think it’s better to own than to rent, and people understand that concept,” St. Romaine said. “Citizens pay about $208,000 each year just to house city employees in leased property. We expect existing annual rents to increase under most conditions, and they are likely to balloon if we continue to rely on leased space for a growing work force.”

Appointed by Mayor Darwin Hindman, the Public Buildings Committee includes citizen volunteers who continually advise on the city’s capital improvement plans. Last June, members recommended that the Council pursue the Daniel Boone Building project as a long-term, cost-efficient option to house city staff, preserve an important public, capital asset and add value to downtown. Members include Chair Bob Roper, Ruth Brent-Tofle, Kee Groshong, Debbie Sheals, Kevin Gibbens, John Ott and Christy Welliver. 

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