Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pope Block topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves $750,000 transfer for upkeep of Pope Block amid calls to sell the building
Summary
Council voted 6-1 to transfer $750,000 to a Pope (Poe) Block building maintenance project after debate about whether the city should continue ownership or sell; critics questioned expense records and high HVAC and utility costs.
The city council approved a $750,000 transfer into project ED0801 for upkeep and maintenance specifically for the Pope Block building. Staff said the funding will support HVAC, electrical, and related systems and that a prior contract with a maintenance firm provides day-to-day oversight of the building’s HVAC system.
Public and council comments ranged from urging the city to sell the building to questions about the account's expense reporting. Abbas Martinez urged the city to consider selling the building and use proceeds to reduce budget pressure. Councilor Regina Maestri said expense reporting for the building looked "jagged all over the place," pointing to a roughly $549,000 single-year HVAC figure in the materials. Staff explained the contract with Poland Mechanical is roughly $28–29,000 a month and provided additional context about maintenance costs.
Staff also said the city retains a small data-center interest (managed by a third-party operator) and that sale discussions must account for continued data access. The transfer passed 6-1.
