By Michael V. Hannigan/HCNow
The Athens City Council added about $125,000 to the Texan rehabilitation project Monday night to replace the south wall of the building.
The council voted for the expenditure 4-1, with Councilman Ed McCain voting against. McCain said the council decided months ago to hold the line on the budget for the project and said he couldn’t vote for any increase.
“This (project) started as an open-air park,” he said.
The increase will take the Texan budget near $1.6 million.
Construction officials told council members the wall — which fronts East Tyler Street — needed to be replaced because it is pulling away from adjoining walls near the parapet.
While council members questioned why problems with the wall were not identified earlier in the project, they agreed that it was a necessary repair at this point.
“However we got here and whatever should have been done in the first place, we are where we are,” said Councilwoman Toni Garrard Clay. “It’s got to be done.”
The City is expected to file with its insurance company under “errors and ommissions” to try and recoup the money spent on the wall.
In addition, the council chose not to vote on an agenda item to buy audiovisual equipment and furnishings for the Texan. Council was presented two possible packages, one for $240,000 and one for $83,000.
Mayor Monte Montgomery said he believes the plan was to have the equipment and furnishings paid for with private donations.
They don’t have the money to finish the Cain Center or build a new police station or fix the wastewater system, but they have money for this…. The Texan should have been wholly paid for by private/corporate donations, not the City.
Toni Garrard Clay was a joke when she worked for the malakoff news and was self center and sought after her own agenda back then as she is now. We as citizens of this GREAT city of Athens which we have called home for nearly 23 years like the idea of fixing up the down town area and attracting a newer younger crowd, but we have been their problems in the city that need attention before repairing the Texan.
I feel it is imperative that we fix our water issue that we currently face. We receive letters from the city every so often about the poor quality of drinking water our city provides us and that if to much of it is ingested over time could cause some for of cancer. Let’s fix this issue first. What person would want to move to a place where their drinking water was not good enough to drink. Before you know it, we will be the next Flint, Michigan.
The councils really needs to pay attention to the needs and concerns of its citizens. Unlike Federal govt. It is way easier to kick someone out of office and re-elect a more well rounded individual who is qualified to do the job.
Thank you
This whole project is a complete boondoggle! It will never operate in the black.