Newspaper Page Text
Page 4
Flagpole.Magazine
October 23, 1991
From behind the curtain....
On the burner in October...
The Civic Center
At the Athens/Clarke government’s last work session, 8th
District Commissioner Ken Jordan attempted to establish a
process to use in completing the Civic Center. He laid out
a blueprint for resolving the issue. The commission will
further discuss his plan during their Tuesday, October 28
work session. At that meeting, they will try to shape Mr.
Jordan's outline into a proposal that all the commissioners
can vote for. The plan is not perfect, but it is a good starting
point. Basically, these are the main points;
• The Commission would instruct the Classic Center Au
thority to inform Polshek and Associates that their pres
ent designs are unacceptable. Then the Authority would
negotiate with the firm to determine if they can design
the type of building the community wants and how much
Polshek will charge us to do that.
• If Polshek were unable to redesign the building, or
wanted too much money, then the Commission would
terminate their contract.
• If Polshek were fired, the project would be put on hold.
• At that point, a re-examination of the program would
take place, including new studies to assess operating
cost and the current market.
• Finally, a formal design selection process would be
advertised, and a new architect would be chosen.
That is a rough outline of the plan. The final details will be
developed by all the members of the government working
together It is a good framework for consensus, but there
are two big potential problems They are Polshek and As
sociates and the Classic Center Authority.
We have already paid Polshek and Associates over 1.3
million dollars. Paying them any more money should not be
considered as a serious option. We should demand that if
Polshek wants to be the architect for this building, they must
redesign it without charging us another penny They have
already gotten too much for too little. Any plan needs to
include instructions that there <s no more money for Pol
shek The history of this project has shown that, if we allow
Polshek a loophole or give them the option to bill us, they will
charge us hundreds of thousands of dollars and provide no
guarantee that their new design will be any closer to the
original program, budget or community desires than their
first two efforts. There is only a finite amount of money left
for this building and too much of the budget has already
gone to Polshek. The time has come to p'ay hardball with
these New York guys. If they don’t want to play, it is time to
let them take their ball and go home
Mr Jordan’s plan calls for p. oviding the Government with
all the information that they will need to make the best
decision they can about this issue. The weak link is the
Authority If they had done what they had been asked to do
this summer, then the Government would already have the
facts needed to make a decision. If the Authority is to play
a role in the process, they need to be given crystal-clear
instructions from the government. The kind of information
that is needed and a timetable for the presentation of
written reports (with facts) must be spelled out. If Polshek
is fired and a new review process begins, the steps
involved in that process must originate with the government
and not with the Authority The community can not afford
another sloppy review process We need to pursue the
facts Ultimately, the determining factor should be the
economic viat^ity of the civic center
Presumably, if Polshek were fired, a new selection proc
ess would begin and could involve several other firms. This
would delay the project by a year or more. Economically,
it might be more prudent to do the complete review of the
Chapman, Coyle, Chapman design and the KressCox
design, which should have been done this summer. Then,
we could determine if one of them could be built for the
budget that we have to work with. The KressCox design is
clearly a popular favorite, but it needs to be examined to
see if the tuilding can deliver everything that <ts designers
say it can. The firm’s track record is impressive, and I
believe an unbiased examination of the facts will prove that
the KressCox design is our best hope of building a civic
center in Athens/Clarke County in this century.
Many people have called the commissioners in the last
couple of weeks. They still need to hear from you Mr
Jordan’s efforts towards forming a solution to this problem
need to be supported. However, the Government needs to
know that Polshek and Associates have already been p rd
enough money. Consensus can not be built around a plan
that would give that firm another dime. Also, the Commis
sion can not put the responsibility for solving this problem
into the hands of the Authority. If they do, we will be trying
to sort this issue out for years to come, never getting any
closer to a solution than we are today. Call the commission
ers. They are waiting to hear from you...
We have already paid
Polshek and Associates over
1.3 million dollars. . .
We should demand
that if Polshek wants to be the
architect for this building,
they must redesign it without
charging us another penny.
Drinking Problems...
The government is considering re-instating the Open
Container Ordinance. Many people feel that the Open
Container Ordinance is an ovei ly restrictive, unenforceable
law. They feel that the club-going public should be treated
as responsible adults. However, those who favor a new
Open Container Ordinance have pointed out that some
members of the club-going public do noi act responsibly
Unfortunately, they have a point, and unless people begin
to approach drinking with some responsibility, the Open
Container Ordinance will only be the first in a series of more
restrictive drinking laws to hit us county
To get an idea of how bad the problem is, get up early
and go downtown at six in the morning. The streets are
covered with broken glass, bottles, cans, cups and trash
Besides the trash, the streets smell of piss It seems that
there are those who feel it is OK to piss anywhere when they
are drinking. This is not a good thing. It is easy to
understand why some people might be getting disgusted
Being able to carry your drink out of a club and on to the
street is not a right, it is a privilege Most of the people who
go out are responsible. They are not breaking bottles,
littering or pissing on storefronts. However, a small minor
ity of slugs (and you know who you are) are generating all
the attention. Their actions provide a strong argument for
the people who favor increasingly restrictive laws regard
ing alcohol consumption.
~ We have argued that people who go out are responsible
adults. We need to act like it. Do not piss in the streets. Do
not litter. Do not break bottles. Put your drink in acup before
you leave a bar, and when you’re finished, throw the cup in
a trash can. Speak out when you see some jerk trashing our
town Don’t drive drunk; it's a small town. Walk, take a cab
or get a ride. Don't let your friends drive drunk. Take the
keys. We need to be aware of the responsibilities associ
ated with alcohol. We have a choice. If we are not
responsible, more restrictive laws regarding alcohol will be
passed If we are not responsible, can we disagree with the
government for passing those laws?
The Power of Money...
How we spend our money is one of our greatest powers
Each purchase is a vote for one thing over another With
each purchase, we are giving our support to a product,
store, company or community. We need to chink about
whom we support, and why we support them.
Where do you eat 7 Where do you buy you clothes 7
Where do you go out 7 What products do you buy and who
makes them? It is important to think about these things. We
need to understand that, as consumers, we have power
We should use that power We should not surrender it
Make a list of where you spend money. How many of the
places a r e local businesses, and how many of them are
national and regional chains? What do you spend locally 7
Are you supporting local stores, restaurants and shops,
with the majority of the money you spend? If you aren't, you
need to ask yourself, ‘‘Why 7 "
You might save a few dollars in the short run, by buying
a pair of pants at Walmart or some other chain. However, if
you bought a pair of pants at Billmgston’s, Shaws. Go.
Kums or any of the independent stores in town, you would
get a quality product at competitive prices, and your money
would go directly into the Athens economy. These busi
nesses are owned and operated by folks who live here
They create the jobs, they pay the taxes and most impor
tantly, they add to the fabric and creativity of Athens. They
ail need your support. When you send your money to
Walmart and other mega-discount stores, you’re voting for
and supporting the destruction of local businesses and
independent economies. Walmart, for example, has made
a fortune from draining the economic vitality out of small
communities all over America. Don’t let it happen here
Think about how you spend your money!
Skip Fuddruckers, and dine at DaVinci’s or T-Bones
Buy your bike at Sunshine or Dixon’s. Put your money in a
local bank Blow off Walmart, and buy the things you need
at the hundreds of independently-owned businesses here
in Athens/Clarke County. The way you spend your money
is a vote Vote to preserve the character and diversity of our
town Lend your support to our local economy. Don't buy
from a chain store, unless you have absolutely no alterna
tive Explore, discover and support Athens; don't sell it out
to Walmart and other corporate bloodsuckers. How you
spend your money is one of your greatest powers Use it
wisely
Dennis F. Greema
Publisher, Flagpole. Magazine
Call Your Commissioners
and let them know how you feel!
THE GOVERNMENT IS YOURS
TalDuVall *549-1349
Miridm Moore • 548-0329
John Berrow • 353-6584
Marilyn Farmer • 548-2385
Ken Jordan • 549-5435
Charles Carter *543-9755
L/nny 8a//ey • 546-9013
Hugh Logan • 543-48/3
Cardee Kilpatrick • 548-2023
Tom Chasteen* 549-2655
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