Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Bye-bye Barnum ad hoc committees

Cross your fingers, folks. We may have finally seen the end of Barnum ad hoc committees and their spendthrift influence on city policy. Unfortunately, before all is said and done, these one-sided committees, which never really seriously examined any cost-effective ways to develop Barnum, will have spent more than $20 million in taxpayer funds. That's what the bill will be after the $8.5 million cost of the land and the $1.5 million-plus in demolition and improvements are added to the interest expense over the next 20 years or so. Two weeks ago, the City Commission thankfully disbanded the fourth and (we hope) final committee, which made a last-gasp effort to remain in charge of the design process. That process was turned over to a consultant, M.C. Smith & Associates, and the community-at-large. And Monday night, the commission rejected a bid by Carroll DeWeese, an outspoken Barnum neighbor and member of the last committee, to join the Parks & Recreation Board. It appointed instead Ross Kaplan, who distinguished himself on the Booth Park project. The impressive redevelopment of Booth Park cost the city less than $1 million, and Kaplan was instrumental not only in mustering the community to help build the playground, but in helping to raise more than 15% of the cost from private sources.