Survey Ready to Go.

A survey seeking input from the citizens of Carthage concerning the renovation and use of Memorial Hall will be distributed this week.

Surveys will be inserted in the Mornin’ Mail, the Carthage Press, and the Chamber of Commerce newsletter.

Surveys may be picked up and completed surveys dropped off at the Mail and Press offices, City Hall, CW&EP, and the following banks: Mercantile, UMB, SMB and NationsBank.

The deadline for returning completed surveys is May 4. The Memorial Hall Long Range Planning Committee will then begin incorporating the citizens’ responses into their report to the City Council which is due May 25.

"We will tabulate the results of the survey as promptly as we can," said Committee Chair Marvin VanGilder, "and assimilate that in with our own thinking and the results of our own research. I don’t think the survey is binding, but I think it should help us to find our way."

Memorial Hall Progress.

At last Thursday evening’s Memorial Hall Long Range Planning Committee meeting, part of the discussion focused on the need for additional supervision of the building to maintain any renovations and improvements which are made.

Chamber of Commerce Director Heather Kelly asked if in their final report to the City Council they would include a call for improved maintenance for the renovated building.

"I think it should be part of the report," said Committee Chair Marvin VanGilder. "That’s one of the reasons that we have the problem we have, there’s not been sustained maintenance. Part of that, I think, is due to a lack of long term policies to guide the people making the on-site decisions."

"We really do pretty good maintenance," said Committee Member Jackie Boyer. "We keep the place clean, if something is severely broken it’s repaired and the building stays functional, but it does not stay upgraded."

Boyer went on to point out that the meeting room had probably not been painted in 15 years and the blinds need replacing, but currently there is no one responsible for making decisions about ongoing improvements of that nature.

Members agreed the custodial staff does a good job, but there is a need for a manager who is responsible for assessing and upgrading the building on a regular basis.

"The City Administrator has had the task of oversight and keeping things rolling," said Boyer, "but not really to organize, to improve, to upgrade... just to maintain."

The Committee also reviewed a memo from Assistant to the City Engineer Joe Butler concerning his and Street Commissioner Tom Shelley’s estimate for upgrading the parking areas around the building.

Butler and Shelley made no recommendations for the West lot and recommended improvements totaling $5446 for the South lot and an area directly behind the building.

Their estimate includes a 2" asphalt overlay on the South lot and between the rear of the building and the alley, curbing on the east end of the South lot, new bumper blocks, removal of the elm tree and restriping the South lot.

"This, to me, is a general maintenance report," said Committee Member Jackie Boyer. "This doesn’t address what we want this place to look like 5 years down the road. All of this would not impair a future plan being developed, but I think we’re charged with going the next step further and coming up with possibilities, and I don’t think this gets the job done... It’s a first step."

"I’m not convinced that the West parking lot is in perfect condition for long term use," said Committee Chair Marvin VanGilder. "I think we need more precise parking areas and more thorough delineation of the driving areas to make that a safer and more functional facility."

Boyer also pointed out that some areas of the sidewalk need replacing and that such improvements should be included in the overall plan for the building. Boyer continued saying questions about the best use of space need to be answered and that the parking lot does not have to remain as it has always been.

"This report is probably absolutely complete for what they were asked to do because we have no more instructions or information for them," said Boyer.

Van Gilder said he is troubled by the danger of pedestrians crossing the alley behind the building. According to VanGilder, the alley is used almost as a regular street. Additional striping, signs, speed bumps and a one-way designation were offered as possibilities to slow traffic and make the area safer.

Discussion turned to the use of the West parking lot by CDL for testing and the what extent of deterioration of the asphalt might be caused by the large trucks.

Economic Development Director Max McKnight reported that CDL pays $10 per day for the rental of the meeting room, but no additional fee for use of the West parking lot.

"We ought to question seriously letting the state make this use of our property as a part of an income-producing operation on their part without our being remunerated," said VanGilder.

Committee Member Mike Harris suggested that the state be approached about participating in the cost of the parking lot refurbishment once more definite plans are formulated.

Boyer pointed out that when an event is scheduled during testing times, people attending the event have very few spaces available and end up in the street.

"If we’re going to seriously push using this facility to a greater degree then perhaps the lack of those spaces being available is something that needs to be considered," said Boyer.

No decisions were made regarding the parking lots. Harris recommended that the function of the building be determined before further plans were discussed. Results of the citizen survey currently being taken will be reviewed before the function of the building is finalized.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

The openin’ round of the budget season comes this evenin’ with the various City departments puttin’ in their requests for the year. Although not many spectators attend the sessions, which last for three or four hours on occasion, they are still the best way ta see where the tax money really goes.

‘Course the biggest chunk of the $5 million or so in annual revenue goes to the Police, Fire, and Street Departments, the most interestin’ issues are typically the "extras" that are represented by capital improvements and requests by outside agencies such as the Chamber, Park Board, Library, Main Street and other groups.

The outside agencies will present their requests on Thursday evenin’ in Council Chambers. There prob’ly won’t be any decisions made these two nights, only considerations.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

 

by

Carthage Chamber of Commerce & Fastrip

Growing Your Community

Washington, D.C. - Marking the week of Earth Day 1998 with a series of speeches across the nation, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas J. Donohue outlined a pro-active environmental message for American business.

"It's time for business to stop hiding on the issue of the environment," Donohue said. "After spending one trillion dollars on environmental clean-up and protection, we have made substantial progress with our air, land and water getting cleaner by the day. We don't need to apologize."

"But before we spend a nickel of the next trillion dollars, business has earned the right to be heard on this important subject," he added. "What business is saying is that the next generation of environmental protection needs to focus on performance not paperwork. Going forward, environmental regulations must be based on sound science and a clear articulation of the costs and benefits."

Donohue cited the example of the Superfund clean-up program where, since 1980, only 200 out of 1200 priority sites have been cleaned up at a cost of $32 billion - and 50 to 70% of that was spent on lawyers, lawsuits and consultants.

"We need flexibility, sound science, and careful cost/benefit analysis," Donohue stated. "Above all, there needs to be a clear understanding that technology and strong economic growth are indispensable to environmental progress.

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