HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975 09-23 Maplewood nixes garage referendum request REVIEW Maplewood nixesara e
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referendum request
by Scott Carlson The city manager said it would be more
A request to hold a voter referendum realistic to look ahead a year from now
this fall to decide whether Maplewood "to bring the voters a bunch of things,"
should build garage facilities for its fleet
of police and city cars has been nixed—at including the garage facilities, a
least for now— by the city council. municipal building and recreation
"I feel now is the time that if we want complex.
garage facilities built we should have this Mayor Bruton noted that the council has
properly put on the agenda so that the requested the city planning commission
staff can bring up all the information and to come up with a five year capitol im-
properly explain it to the citizens," provements program. "Unquestionably
councilman Norman Anderson told his this (the garage facilities) is a capitol
colleagues last Thursday night. improvement," Bruton said. "But you'd
But City Manager Mike Miller, along be forcing them (the commissioners) to
with Mayor Bob Bruton and councilman ramrod that through.
Donald Wiegert, indicated that a "It will be much tougher to pass a voter
referendum this fall would be rushing referendum the second time if it has
things. failed once,"Bruton noted. "You want to
"I don't know if there is time to present do as good a job as you can the first time."
the subject and get a valid reaction," Anderson said he was concerned about
Wiegert said. having the referendum soon because
Miller added, "There is no doubt that "vandalism is increasing."
the need(for the facilities)is critical.But And the first-term councilman was
I don't want to go into a bond issue without adamant about not linking a referendum
being completely prepared." on the garage facilities with other
projects such as a recreational complex
and a new municipal building. "I don't
want to tie it into anything else,"he said.
"If you tie it in with an ice arena you
might as well forget it.
"It(the garage facilities)is the highest
priority on the list(of city needs surveyed
by a consulting firm) and it should be a
separate item," Anderson argued.
Councilman Burton Murdock agreed.
"There's no way that we can afford the
luxury of an ice arena in these times,"he
said.
The council agreed to refer the matter
to the Planning Commission to ask for a
date when it might be possible to hold a
referendum in 1976.