Letter to Editor:
There has been much said about the two considered locations which have been advocated. There has been little alluded to for some major considerations. These should be considered. Barron Road location will have the same problem as the reason why a new location is needed; age of the building. It has probably already used half of its lifespan. Barron Road is a street designed for residential use, not for police that need good access to major roads or for residents using city government offices. Of course, it has been mentioned, but mainly overlooked, it is designed for physician offices, not city offices.
The Oak and 2nd street location will be part of established government buildings, a quadrangle so common in other cities. There is easy access to a major road, not surrounded by homes. And a new building will have a longer lifespan, designed for its use, without extra unneeded space.
Many wanted the Butler County jail to be located away from the courthouse. The present location was chosen for many reasons, including easy access to courtrooms and already having the load capabilities measured for the very heavy building. Of course, this location was owned by others. Since I was on the site location committee for the Butler County Jail, I went to the owners and ask them if they would sell to the county for the jail. They said YES. Since the city already owns the considered location for the city hall, this will not be necessary.
Some argue for a downtown location to help downtown. I do not believe the Oak and 2nd will make any difference, one way or another. But other factors make me say, I for one, will sign a petition. Let the people decided. They do a good job.
Sincerely,
Ken Michel
Poplar Bluff, Mo.