Proposal to reopen Jan. 5 decision on city hall/police station fails on roll call

Councilor Fitzgerald moved on Tuesday to reconsider a Jan. 5 council motion that directed staff to pursue converting the former IO Building into a new city hall and to adapt another building into a police station. Fitzgerald said residents should be given the opportunity to vote on a fee that would help pay for the projects: "When you need money from your citizens, you should ask and not tell." She argued the initial fee estimate ($2.5 million noted in staff comments) could grow and persist for years and that voters should decide.

Council members debated the procedural consequences of a successful reconsideration: staff explained that a passed reconsideration would treat the Jan. 5 motion as if it had not occurred and permit the council either to make a new motion, choose a different option, or continue the matter to a future meeting after additional staff analysis. Councilor Shane opposed the motion to reconsider, saying the Jan. 5 direction was to have staff "delve into it, take a deeper dive, and get us some harder numbers," and argued the process should continue.

The council held a roll-call vote. Councilors Holzapol, Jansz, Schilling, Shane, Spivey, Council President (Briggs/Bridal variant in the transcript), and Barrientos voted no; Councilor Fitzgerald voted yes. The motion to reconsider did not pass.

What happens next: Because the motion to reconsider failed, the Jan. 5 action stays in effect and staff will continue with the previously directed work unless the council brings a new motion or takes different action in a future meeting.