The city of Poplar Bluff will move forward with the purchase of Northwest Medical Center after a motion Monday to hold a citizen vote on the location was defeated.
The final cost of the project is still uncertain, even among council members, who already have started the process to secure up to $8 million in financing.
The pair of 4-3 votes were held in a meeting that lasted less than 20 minutes.
Mayor pro tem Susan McVey, council members at large Steve Davis and Ron Black, and Philip Crocker of Ward 4 were against the citizen vote, and in favor of the $3.495 million purchase of approximately five acres of property on Barron Road.
"I think economically it's the best decision for our citizens. I look forward to relocating to a new building," McVey said after the meeting.
A closing date of Feb. 10 has been set. The city will now begin the process of having structural and environmental inspections done.
City manager Mark Massingham said efforts will be made after the closing to relocate city court and the city council chambers from the current Second Street location.
City court may have to move more than once, because not all of the Northwest building will be available immediately. Seven current tenants can occupy about 50,000 square feet of the 80,000 square feet building for up to six months after the closing.
Costs murky,
even for council
A clear picture of the costs to renovate the 26-year-old building have yet to be presented to public, or apparently, council members.
A building on Second Street would cost $2 million less than the renovation and purchase of Northwest, said Mayor Ed DeGaris. DeGaris, Robert Smith of Ward 5 and Barbara Horton of Ward 3 supported a citizen vote, and were against the Northwest purchase.
They have said they believe building at the Second Street property already owned by the city would be best. It previously also held city hall and the police department.
Supporters of Northwest argue renovation costs can be brought down below estimates, DeGaris said early in the meeting. If that's true, according to DeGaris, then costs for the downtown site could also be reduced.
Both estimates came from the same firm, he said.
Architects presented renovation and new building costs related to the downtown site in a series of special meetings held in 2015.
City council members have discussed during council meetings renovation estimates for Northwest, but have not provided any documentation of the estimates or brought forward any professionals to speak on the matter.
Both McVey and Black have said Northwest is economically the best decision for the city.
Crocker said today the cost will be $125-$150 per square foot on average for both sites.
"I don't see spending that much money in that area (downtown). It's not a good spot," said Crocker, adding, "Everyone on the city council is doing what they think is right."
DeGaris initially asked for the motion to hold a citizen vote on the future location of city hall, city court and the police department.
"I felt first and foremost that my responsibility was to listen to the citizens and make decisions that I feel are in the best interest of the city," DeGaris said, explaining he has heard no support for Northwest.
A petition effort has gathered about 1,000 signatures, more than the number of people who voted in the last city election, DeGaris said. About 900 people voted on a use tax that was narrowly defeated in August.
The petition would need more than 2,600 signatures to force a ballot measure.
The council is elected to make decisions for the people, Crocker said.
Black said nothing from the petition group has been turned into city hall.
It's apparent the group has not been able to secure the correct amount of signatures, Black said.
"Which says to me, they have already had plenty of time, and couldn't do it," he said Monday night. "I see no need to do it now."
It is the responsibility of the council to make the decisions that are best overall for the city, said Davis.
"When we were elected, the citizens expected us to take that responsibility on behalf of the citizens," he said.
In lengthy meetings in August and September, citizens came forward to speak on behalf of the downtown location.
No one spoke up for the Northwest site, DeGaris said.
The residents who spoke at the earlier meetings were a small sampling of residents, said Crocker.
"I have so much support for this building, that I would be voting against them if I voted for that (citizen vote)," McVey said after the meeting. "Even though they don't come to the podium to speak, there are still many, many citizens that validate my decision."
The council should not be doing this, said Horton.
"I don't feel like we've all been listening to the citizens," she said.
The city is abandoning the downtown area, according to Smith, who believed the council should let the citizens have their say in a ballot measure.
"I still say once the city abandons downtown, why should anyone else stay?" he said. "I can't blame anyone else for not wanting to come down here."
In other business:
* Moved reappointment of Dean Million as Municipal Court judge to the Dec. 27 voting session.
* Moved a resolution naming the alternate for the Missouri Public Utility Association Committee to the position of city manager.
* Discussed budget amendments.
* Approved the annexing and zoning of property at 2848 Kanell Blvd., owned by Larry and Jan Rommel. It will be zoned C-2, general commercial.
* Adopted a Butler County hazard mitigation plan.