4. COURTHOUSE COMPLEX: In July, 2014, the City Council voted to utilize up to $1,000,000 in funds from its Urban Renewal program to rehabilitate the city-owned historic courthouse complex. Preliminary plans call for turning a portion of the first floor into city offices. Do you feel this is the highest and best use of this property and why? If not, what should be done with the building?
Brad Bennington
Candidate
BRAD BENNINGTON: The Courthouse Complex issue has raised some questions that need to be answered, I think, before it makes sense to commit to a large and expensive enterprise. Is a new city office the highest and best use of the property? Maybe, but compared to what? In our community, the historicity of a building is one thing but the practical use could be something other than what we expect. I would think we need to take a look at what “city offices” means to our city for the foreseeable future and then talk about affordable ways those needs might be met. Along those lines we might do our homework on what it would cost to do the improvements and then have a pretty long discussion about what we find out. We need to answer a lot of questions before we commit to such an ambitious project.
Kenneth Gregg
Candidate
KEN GREGG: I think the courthouse complex should be the home of the city offices. Jacksonville has a commercial center, but no civic center. Moving the city offices into the courthouse will engender and reflect our civic pride. I am a strong supporter of preserving the history of the town, and I believe this is an ideal way to do so.
City offices will not occupy the entire courthouse. I recommend sharing the remaining space with other local entities to make it “the place to go” for residents and visitors alike. This could be the home of the Information Center, the Planning Department and a revived Jacksonville Museum. The upstairs space could also be rented out for events, providing a revenue source for the city to help pay for the costs of maintenance for the courthouse and its grounds.
In the past century corporate skyscrapers have become monuments to industry, replacing churches, temples and civic buildings that used to be the center of a city’s cultural pride. Our courthouse should stand out as a symbol of who we are as a community.
Jim Lewis
Incumbent
JIM LEWIS: I am wholly in favor of the use of Urban Renewal funds to renovate the Old Courthouse. That is exactly the kind of improvement for which urban renewal agencies are established. Twenty years ago the City Offices moved in the Miller House from the Fire Hall, as a “temporary” relocation for City administration. The acquisition of the Courthouse Complex from Jackson County affords us the responsibility of stabilizing and improving the property and the opportunity to move municipal services to an appropriately sized and sited structure: a government building returns to government use. The complex is central, attractive, accessible, and sound. There has been conversation about other possible additional uses for the renovated structure, including leased space to business or non-profit interests, a performance venue on the second floor, and others. I want to continue exploring the possibilities while progressing toward City occupancy.
Ted Trujillo
Candidate
TED TRUJILLO: I am skeptical the recent decision to make the costly upgrades to the Courthouse Complex was the best possible use of funds. $1,000,000 is a huge investment for a city of our size with no benefit of a return.
Why aren’t we making this gem of a building the flagship of our community, where the rich story of Jacksonville can be told either in the way of a museum or hospitality in order to generate much needed revenue for our city? The grounds are already a great place for the Arts community, city celebrations and local Farmers Market to do business and keep money moving around the community. Would we displace these functions by making these city offices? What would the remainder of the building be used for, storage? Not knowing the true scope of the renovation needs, and what the projected cost entails, I’m reluctant to say it’s a great idea yet not willing to say it’s a bust either. I feel that the current duration of its vacancy is far too long for such a fantastic building. All that said, if I voted today it would be for city renovation in a cost effective way.
Clara Wendt
Candidate
CLARA WENDT: The current City Council has voted to use up to $1,000,000 of Urban Renewal funds towards rehabilitating the city-owned historic courthouse. HOWEVER, for two or more years, I have been suggesting that the City get ample public input along with studying FINANCIALLY-RESPONSIBLE OPTIONS, such as potentially selling the complex to entrepreneurs, like the McMenamins, who have a history of drawing tourists, who have an outstanding reputation for historic preservation, and who, as owners of private property, will pay property taxes.