Special Project Oversight Committee (SPOC) Report #1

Home Browse Search

Message on Courthouse Square http://www. open. org/mcboc/csquare/oped.htm A message from Randy Franke, Chair Marion County Board of Commissioners In the early 1970s, Marion County purchased the Senator Building for future service expansion. The county continued to buy property on the Senator block as it became available. Our goal is to consolidate services, making it easier for customers to have "one-stop shopping" and to make our service delivery more cost-effective. By co-locating our services, we reduce overhead costs for utilities, computer systems and meeting rooms. Today, county services are in three downtown buildings in addition to the courthouse. We also rent space on Lancaster Drive for some department. Since 1978, six independent studies have pointed to the Senator block as the best downtown site for a much-needed transit station. I haven't always supported the use of the cotulty-owmed block for this but came to agree with it as we looked at the exciting potential of today's Courthouse Square, which creatively combines the county's needs, Salem transit's needs and the desire of the business community to keep about 300 employees in the downtown core. The state courts administration, which is responsible for the circuit and district courts in Marion County, is pushing far more space. Marion County, like all Oregon counties, has a mandate from the Legislature that we provide all space required by the courts. County services are truly being pushed out of the county courthouse by an ever-expanding court system. We stopped all work on Courthouse Square (except for environmental cleanup of the site) in July when we saw that the project was not coming in at budget and not all of our financial concerns were ~, being answered. Additionally, the business community questioned the amount of office space we had planned. At our direction the design team reworked the building to bring the cost down, reduce the amount of leased space available and reduce the county's expenses. The design is now more efficient, and the improved concept streamlines the financing. I'in not suggesting that the project has progressed without errors. We've made some mistakes. But we've learned from them, stopped to consider other options, and no~v see an improved proposal. The pause for re-evaluating and redesigning the project and the recent media focus on mistakes have raised questions in the minds of concerned members of the community. The staff leaders for the coiu~-ty and the transit district took responsibility for this erosioin in public confidence and have stepped out of leadership roles. New staff leaders, Billy Wasson for the county and John Whittington for the transit district, were appointed in early December. Billy Wasson, director of Marion County's Department of Corrections, was responsible for construction of the 118,000-square-foot jail in 1987, the work release and administrative center, and most recently the just completed addition to the jail. John Whittington is the planning and marketing director for the Salein Area Transit District. We believe Courthouse Square is a wise investment in the health and vitality of downtown Salem for future generations. We would not be wise stewards of the public's money and trust if we walked away from Courthouse Square today and allowed the dollars that have been invested to be wasted. ~ The Board of Commissioners will continue to take public comment and questions about Courthouse Square. You may write to us at the Marion County Courthouse, 100 High Street NE, Salem, OR, 97301-3670, send e-mail to commissioners@open.org or attend the weekly sessions of the Board of Commissioners which begin at 9:30 a.m. each Wednesday in the Courthouse, room 1330. 1 of 2 12/10/97 1:00 PM