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Council debates timing of town hall on Stafford Civic Center repairs
Summary
Councilmembers disagreed about holding a town hall to discuss the Stafford Civic Center's structural problems; one councilmember said the public should be educated about repair costs and pitfalls, while others said a town hall is premature without engineering numbers. Staff said engineers had provided a preliminary presentation and are working on safety measures and cost estimates.
Councilmembers discussed whether to hold a town hall on the future of the Stafford Civic Center, which staff and engineers have identified as needing repairs. One councilmember told the council, "I'm not ready to put $4,000,000 worth of repairs every 4 years, 5 years in there," and said the public should be educated on costs and options before any major expenditure. The council debated whether an engineering report and clearer cost estimates are necessary before scheduling a public forum.
Staff said city engineers had previously presented preliminary findings and that staff is working to identify safety measures and estimate repair versus replacement costs. Council directed staff to obtain and present the engineering report and preliminary cost comparisons; no formal decision or funding commitment was made at the meeting. Members of the public urged careful budgeting and cautioned against gifting the building to the school district without addressing long-term repair liabilities.
