 To the editor:
Tuesday March 17th will be an important day for
voters nationwide, but especially here in Logan County. Our friends
in the Democratic Party and those who are Independents will be
selecting candidates to represent their interests at the State and
National level. For Republicans the races of interest are more
local. There are contests for the important offices of Circuit
Clerk, Coroner and Resident Judge and we are fortunate several
talented and dedicated people have stepped forward to pursue these
positions.
All of us, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents will have
another item to vote on and one that is of critical importance to
our future. That item is a Referendum seeking consent to raise the
local sales tax by 50 cents per 100 dollars of eligible purchases.
The County Board’s duty is to carefully consider the need and value
of additional funding for areas of community benefit. The Board then
votes to place a referendum on the ballot. I have always voted to do
so as a Board member even though as a citizen I have voted for some
and against a few others. My feeling remains that ultimately it is
your money we are spending and the voters should have the final say
on what we do. The referendum item on the March ballot is one I will
be voting for and I would like to explain why.
First issue is the structural integrity of the Logan County
Courthouse and its future. By best estimates it will require between
$8 to $10 million dollars for its restoration. Absent this
investment it will continue to rapidly deteriorate.
For several years the Building and Grounds committee has explored
every possible option. Former County Board member and now Lincoln
City Alderman Kevin Bateman devoted hundreds of hours to this issue
and the current committee chairman Dave Blankenship has done
likewise. Moreover, other officials, most prominently Sheriff Mark
Landers have also thoroughly researched any and all avenues of
remedy before us.
To name a few we have looked into building a new government
building. That would not only be at least twice the cost, it would
result in the decline, closure and possible demolition of the
Courthouse. We have looked at targeted repairs, such as “Dome only”,
etc. The problem with that is the Courthouse has multiple areas that
need addressed and fixing some will only mean the others continue as
does the overall deterioration. This would be no different than
taking a pill for high blood pressure, but leaving one’s kidney
function, sugar levels and lifestyle unchecked.
There are a few important differences in how the County Board is
handling this issue. First, the current committee chairman Dave
Blankenship is a long standing local electrical contractor by
profession. Dave has decades of experience in the building trades
and understands the needs of the Courthouse beyond what we can see.
He “speaks the language” of those in that industry and is well
qualified to make sure this project is truly done right. Dave has
also worked as a building superintendent and remains a State
certified Building Inspector. We truly have the right person in the
right place at the right time.
Dave also inherited a great deal of research and data from his
predecessor Kevin Bateman. No one worked harder than Kevin to
determine the issues and needs of the Courthouse and this volume of
information compiled by Kevin, and with the assistance of the
Sheriff and our Judges, has let Dave Blankenship hit the ground with
both feet running.
The County Board, upon the advice of Dave Blankenship, has hired
Bill Walters as a project consultant. Mr. Walters is a restoration
specialist whose company is presently working on 8 courthouse
restorations across the Nation. Bill is a restoration consultant to
the White House and is highly regarded in his industry. If anyone
can oversee and direct a restoration of our Courthouse, make sure it
is done right and maintain the buildings architectural integrity it
is Bill Walters.
Another differentiating point is that this is a
“Facilities Tax”. Unlike other taxes a “facilities tax” specifies
its use for the Courthouse and the Courthouse only. The County
Board, nor any other office or official can use these funds for any
other purpose.
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Yet another important feature of this referendum
is that the County Board imposed a “sunset clause. This means that
the 50 cents per $100 increase will automatically go away after 20
years. This should be sufficient time to repay the bonds necessary
to restore the Courthouse but guarantees that once completed and
paid for the increase goes away.
The argument has been raised that the County Board should have been
restoring the Courthouse all along. While this is a valid point, the
Board only has so much money to work with and it would have meant
deep cuts in departments and services the people expect and deserve.
On a similar vein, if the referendum doesn’t pass
the Courthouse will still require a major investment just to keep it
a safe place to work and conduct business. Since we operate under
tax caps, and taxes are too high already, as mentioned in the last
paragraph, deep cuts in our various departments may be necessary to
pay for those repairs. As a citizen I don’t want to compromise our
police and emergency services, the maintenance of our county roads
and bridges, the services of our Health Department, how we treat the
animals at our Shelter and many other vital functions.
Much of what I have stated up until now is the unpleasant reality
facing not only the County Board, but every citizen in our
community. The silver lining to this scenario however is that as the
Courthouse is restored it can also be repurposed to meet the
standards of the 21st century. As an example, the Sheriff has given
expert advice as to security needs to protect employees and the
public. Mr. Walters, the restoration specialist, took the Sheriff’s
input and designed a secure entry and exit that looks as if it were
original to the building.
Another example would be to locate offices in the Courthouse that
should have a presence there. In this way the Public Defender could
meet clients in a private office in the building rather than on the
Courthouse steps or rotunda. Our Engineer and Zoning officer could
have an office for official business in addition to the remote
locations they operate from. In years past, Sojourn, which serves
battered women in particular had been relegated to the basement of
the building. A dignified, safe and hopeful setting is what these
traumatized individuals need and deserve. We could even offer an
office to be shared by Recruiters from the military service
branches. Enlistment in the armed forces is a noble act and for many
young people provides them a path out of complacency if not poverty
to one of pride and relative prosperity.
There has even been conversation about how to leverage the value of
the rotunda. Presently there are plaques recognizing those who have
served and sacrificed for our Country. Just as I grew up hearing
stories from WWII veterans, so do our grandchildren need to hear
from our Vietnam era veterans who lived thru that tumultuous period.
As time progresses their stories will give way to those who served
in the War on Terror. We can bring life and vibrancy to their
service and make sure it is never forgotten.
Naturally our rotunda pays homage to the life and legacy of Abraham
Lincoln. We should however make sure to recognize other locals who
showed that one can make history coming from small town America.
Langston Hughes first poem was written here and in becoming one of
the leading poets of the 20th century he also showed that talent is
colorblind. Similarly, the Niebuhr brothers transformed theological
scholarship nearly 100 years ago and their foundation started as
their father pastored a church at 7th & Maple.
In my many terms on the County Board I have always tried to spend
the taxpayer’s money as if it were my own. At times this attitude
has forced me to make tough votes where I have been in the minority.
This referendum, however, passes all of my standards of necessity,
thoughtfulness and value. It is an investment in ourselves and
beyond that for the generations to follow.
I thank you for considering my thoughts and I hope you join me in
voting “Yes” on March 17th in favor of the Courthouse Facilities
referendum.
David Hepler
[Posted
February 29,
2020]
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