Whether you were for or against its purchase, drive by the old Wal-Mart building in Liberty today and it is difficult not to consider the possibilities that such a large well located building could have. Continue on in to the city and drive by the courthouse and one is reminded of how messy the politics have become since County Judge Phil Fitzgerald, Commissioner Norman Brown and others decided to pursue purchasing the building and possibly consolidating county offices and the local hospital.
Ray Akins, along with others, stated publicly that the best use of this property could be county offices and an advanced trauma care facility for the county. He also went on to say, "If the taxpayers are going to be stuck with the Hospital District Taxing entity, we should use the money for the highest tech 21st century trauma care available." Akins went on to say, "The price paid for this property was not proportionate to the current real property market values, someone made off like a bandit."
All of that said, it is time to compartmentalize and to again move forward. Let the people that are unscrambling what has gone on in the courthouse do their work while we encourage public officials to do the best job they can possibly do for Liberty County. With that in mind, even Judge Fitzgerald's toughest critic must admit he is a good horse trader and may be the best county judge we have had in a long time to plan and negotiate what we ultimately do with the Wal-Mart building.
Those of us who critique public officials may ought to back off and give the County Judge some encouragement to finish what he started. His business experience and his ability to negotiate, coupled with the original vision for where the county could benefit by this building, makes for a good rationale to ask our leaders to make a priority of this project. Rather than let the building sit there unused and off of the tax rolls, go forward and see what happens.
As a taxpayer, we can't let the politics of the time limit the progress we can make for future generations. Norman Brown and Lee Groce are running for reelection as commissioners and we need to encourage them to deal with the reality of the fact that we, as a county, own this building and we want them to make the best use of it that is available.
In this area we might not be able to count on Groce if he is going to be a sourpuss because he voted against it. But Commissioner Brown has been dealing with trying to be creative and make the best use of resources since the first time he was elected seven years ago. Taxpayers should encourage Brown and Fitzgerald and the rest of the commissioners to explore the possibilities and to move forward.
This project is not necessarily a white elephant. It has great possibilities. In fact, years from now citizens may look back at this time and these men and be thankful for their forward thinking and their creative effort. Let's not waste this summer like the November election has some magical spell over progress, let's move forward...
News Staff
15 comments:
I am in 100% agreement with this. Fitzgerald and Brown, or whoever came up with the idea of buying the building,it is a great way to use taxpayer money that is now being thrown at whatever little deals that dumb ass Stratton has set up. Whatever else is going on, the people running for the commissioners jobs should know we expect them to make the smartest deal for us they can. And Phil can leave this undone and for someone else to screw up possibly or he can take care of business.
I know you guys looked into a remodel and the price was high, but didn't you have several ways like grants and other stuff that we would get a huge am ount of help with?
The price was almost $3 million dollars and yes, there are rental agreements and grants that would make this a more attractive deal for local taxpayers. Work seemed to stop on this when GHroce and Fitzgerald got buried under accusations. Groce has been nothing but a naysayer in this and he has been like a little sulking kid since he was outvoted. Grow up Lee, we own it now. Be a leader and let's do something with it!
move forward? oh, please! For 2.7 million bucks, t... move forward? oh, please!
For 2.7 million bucks, they could have a HILTON, not just a remodeled wallyworld!
The person who is against "moving forward" needs to realize we can't stand still. I am a Republican and I agree we should get Phil Fitzgerald to gather options. He is better at this kind of stuf than anyone else on the scene. Let him have a chance to complete wht he started.
Phil has done way more than enough for this county. Change the locks and send him home!
You are always better off letting the people who came up with an idea fight to prove it was a good idea. Their dea has to pass muster. Norman Brown is a very sober-minded practical man and if an idea is going to waste alot of money he will vote against it.
Norman Brown couldnt find his way out of a paper sack. He is about as bright as Tommy Chambers.
I agree with Ray, the idea was sound, but what the county gave for that property was a ripoff. The best thing we can do is move forward and try to turn this property into a positive.
Kind of sounds to me like the Good Ole Boys are now influencing the WatchDog, and have him looking in the wrong direction now...hum
This building should be a reminder to local governments not to jump in to quick to purchase vacant property. We could still be getting tax money for this building and the owner would be maintaining it. But the deal has been done so lets get going and put this building to use.
If nothing else, put some of the different departments in the Courthouse out there, like property tax, Auto license,Commisioners Court and County court at law. This would make more parking room at the Courthouse. If you are not going to use this building for anything other than let it set vacant, then sell it and get the Tax payers money back. (HAWK)
Maybe we should copy one of California's methods, against WalMart.... and their junk pile leavings: We need to quit allowing minimum wage/food stamp needing employees' corporations to come into town, (wiping out the mom and pop businesses- in everything from furniture, to hardware, to car repair, to nursery/lawn and garden). Face it, most of their employees, at those wages, qualify for food stamps!
Then, they leave town, (or build super wallyworlds, mark up prices TREMENDOUSLY), lay off hundreds, and leave the community destitute- when they don't get the mega profits/monopolies that they want.
We, the taxpayers, get stuck with their abandoned properties- and the huge bills to refurbish and redesign them. When will our leaders see 'the forest, for the trees', and learn about this corporate pirate?
the person who wrote that 'we can't stand still', needs to realize.... that we wouldn't be IN THIS MESS... if we had anybody with sense enough to 'stand still', and think about the consequences... before allowing wallyworld into town! Next time, 'look, before you leap'.
This is what happens, when you keep electing and appointing your cronies...rather than your THINKERS!
"Move forward"??? Many times, 'stop and think', is the wisest move...ask any chess player.
There are negatives to a store like walmart. There are also positives. We who live in the country now have access to goods that in the past would have only been available by catalog or a drive into a major city like Houston.
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