Councilors set the record straight
As the objects of a recent election flyer that Whitefish voters found in their mailboxes last week we thought it timely to set the record straight. While we don’t fault the author for trying to influence the outcome of the City Council election we do take exception to the gross misstatement of the facts and mischaracterization of the incumbents.
City Council did NOT refuse to let citizens vote on the new City Hall. The language in the proposed referendum was reviewed by the city attorney and determined that it failed to meet statutory requirements, as prescribed by law. As councilors, we had nothing to do with whether or not the referendum should appear on the ballot.
The new City Hall will NOT cost $15 million as the author claims in his flyer. The current allocation of ALL costs for a new City Hall is $6,622,120. The parking structure adds an additional $8,330,516. Because construction of City Hall will be paid for using tax-increment funds (TIF), property taxes will not be increased to pay for it.
The new City Hall is NOT 39,000 square feet as the flyer claims. City Hall is programmed to be 24,226 square feet, including 3,700 square feet of unfinished basement. The 39,000 square foot claim comes from the footprint of the entire half block.
The new City Hall and parking garage will NOT displace any businesses. Quite the contrary. The ground floor of the parking garage includes approximately 3,000 square feet of retail shopping space.
Contrary to the claim in the flyer, we believe citizens have had a voice in the decision to locate the new City Hall in its former location. Over the past six years numerous open houses, town hall meetings, and council hearings were held before a single vote was ever taken. This location is consistent with both the original and revised downtown master plans and will provide a civic anchor to our downtown.
The new City Hall will also have the advantage of finally putting all city services, other than fire, police and the court, under one roof.
We encourage all eligible voters to cast their ballots and to make their choices based on the facts, not on misrepresentations and erroneous interpretation of the facts.
— Frank Sweeney and Richard Hildner are incumbent candidates running for re-election to City Council.