Reform 3.6: City Hall
Cancel New City Hall Project – Lock In Affordable Lease Rates. Other Information:
We have adamantly opposed building a new City Hall in the middle of a financial crisis, particularly given the opportunities
available in the local commercial real estate market. We have advocated for attempting to lock-in lower lease rates for city
office space during the market downturn, but also think other alternatives should be explored. These alternatives include:
Link the discussion of city office space needs with efforts to shrink the size of the city’s workforce through restructuring
and managed competition. Rather than adding costs to the City’s budget for repairing the existing City Administration Building,
the City should explore cost savings available moving city operations into three or four locations around the city. The city
should be taking advantage of historically low lease and purchase rates by locking in cost savings today for long-term benefit.
This model would consolidate city staff into four locations organized around 3-4 business lines. - Economic Development and
Support Services: Planning, Development Services, Office of Small Business - Public safety and Neighborhood Services: Parks,
Libraries, Recreation, Police, Fire, etc. - Infrastructure and Utilities: Streets, General Services, Water, Wastewater, etc.
To contribute to neighborhood revitalization and achieve cost efficiencies on office space and parking, we propose selecting
a distressed community for at least one of these 3-4 functions. Tap technology to integrate city staff – using Skype, teleconferencing
and other technologies, city staff can be distributed into 3 or 4 locations easily without impacting performance and communication
capability. Any savings achieved from this plan for securing more cost-effective office space should be used to provide neighborhood
services
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