Whitefish philanthropist backs initiative to stop City Hall project
Whitefish philanthropist Richard Atkinson has come forward as one of the residents leading an effort to put the City Hall project up to a public vote.
In a statement sent to the Pilot on Thursday, Atkinson said he is pushing for the initiative because it’s important residents “have a say on a project of this permanence and significance.”
“The mayor and others have argued that it's too late to change course on the proposed City Hall,” he wrote. “I respectfully disagree.”
The petition was formally submitted to the Flathead County Election Department on Thursday, said Kalispell attorney Duncan Scott, who is representing Atkinson and others.
A draft of the initiative proposes to amend city law to require a public vote on City Hall projects costing more than $3 million.
If 15 percent of registered voters in Whitefish sign the petition — 752 signatures — the initiative will appear on the ballot at the next regular local government election. If a majority of voters favor the initiative at that election, voters would then return to the polls to decide if the city can spend more than $3 million on constructing a new City Hall.
The current City Hall is set to be demolished in September with construction of a new $13.9 million building and attached parking structure to follow at the same location at the corner of Baker Avenue and Second Street. In addition, the city expects to spend an additional $1 million on moving costs, lease of an interim City Hall and other ancillary expenses.
Tax-increment finance funds are being used to pay for the project. The parking structure makes up about half the total cost.
Atkinson argues against both the location and the cost of the project.
“Putting a City Hall building on the most visible and expensive corner of Whitefish will add little or no value to our downtown economy,” he wrote. “I'm a longtime travel expert and can promise that building a similarly designed City Hall outside the downtown business district will open a large area for new shops, restaurants and retail — bringing with them the kind of vitality, jobs and tax revenue that truly benefits tourism supported communities like ours.”
He says a City Hall could be built at another location for a fraction of the cost.
“The mayor and City Council claim that our ‘property taxes won't go up’ as a result,” he wrote. “But taxes are taxes. The $15 million spent on City Hall, minus the millions in lost property tax revenue from building in a less pricey location means millions less for other deserving projects. While we’re paying for an extravagant City Hall on the most valuable piece of real estate in downtown Whitefish, we’ll need budget increases to fund other needs, like snowplowing.”
Atkinson has been involved in many fundraising efforts in town, notably as “Old Man Walking” to cap fundraising for a $5.2 million renovation of the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. Most recently he took on the “Older Man Walking” campaign to support Whitefish High School student’s efforts to build a greenhouse.