Jeffersonian asks Mike Newman…
Regret vote on the Jefferson?
Dear Mike,
I like in Eureka’s Westside and walk by the Jefferson Community Center nearly every day. The Jefferson has radically transformed the neighborhood for the better. You voted against purchasing the Jefferson while on the Eureka City Council. Thankfully, the community raised the funds and purchased the property and have redeveloped it into something great. Do you regret your vote?
— Jeffersonian
Response
Mike Newman
No, it was the right thing to do at that point. Because the City had obtained many studies on the property and the condition it was in, the cost to renovate it to Government standards was going to cost many, many dollars.
After it was voted down by the Council majority, we directed the City Manager to direct staff to do what they could to help the Westside Community Improvement Association in their applications for funding of its purchase and rehabilitation. Because of that, the Group was able to purchase and renovate it costing much less.
The funding source that had been identified for the project by the prior City Council…Redevelopment… was under threat of being eliminated by the State and in 2011 the State did cut Redevelopment programs throughout the State.
AND, the City was also struggling with funding basic operations such as public safety, road and park maintenance, facility maintenance, and environmental programs. To take on another General Fund financial burden did not make financial sense.
Voters had just approved Measure O to protect essential services. To use these dollars otherwise would have been disservice to the promises made by approving the Measure.
Any leadership role comes with the responsibility to be fiscally responsible. Purchasing the former Jefferson School would have added to the City’s budget deficits and required further cuts to essential services.
The plus in all of this…Jefferson School became a true community project. Watch and listen to their story here: https://youtu.be/9Ahoudf1vKE
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