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Vote NO White Cliff
By Jackie Williams

 

September 30, 2006
Saturday


Dear Sitnews,

The White Cliff Project is to save the 75 year old building and the intended uses for seniors, arts and public spaces are rolled into the project but they are NOT one issue. Ballot Proposition 1 is to remodel and maintain the building only. Buildings can be remodeled regardless of condition even with good contractors existing problems are found when dismantled. Are you ready for Schoencliff , if not vote NO? Let s see how the consolidation vote goes, then either way, put a new proposition/building on the ballot.

The intended uses and library need a home and a center for all is a great idea still we should not make the uses fit this old building but build a new building specifically designed for the uses. An honorable tribute to White Cliff can be integrated into a new building using artifacts from the old building and call it the White Cliff Heritage Center.

Already, much has been done to acknowledge, and save the heritage and characteristics of Ketchikan s past alive. Now is the time to quit looking backward at our past as the only view in town and quit going into the future lead by our rear ends... let us turn around to face and embrace the future as we go forward in our community.

The estimate (read the small print) for the conceptual plan (not a blueprint) is a huge cost and a new building would be too. How many grants have been applied for, received or tuned down, for remodeling the 75 yr old building? How does remodel vs. new play into the grant opportunities?

Go to the White Cliff Center Web site SEPARATE THE ISSUES of the building/intended uses then read it all. www.ketchikanarts.org/whitecliff

Points to Ponder :
Cost to demolish:................................$4 million
Cost for abatement of current building...........$1.1 million
Cost to remodel:.................... (estimate) $14.8 million
Financiers: Ketchikan Gateway Borough............$12 million

Property given away ................FREE $0
City of Ketchikan........................$500 thousand
Celebration & Fairweather Funds..........$469 thousand
Grants................(not yet obtained) $2 million

Annual Operating Budget................. ........$435 thousand

KGB annual operations and maintenance....$288 thousand
Users annual payments.................. $147 Thousand

Vote No on "Schoencliff",


Jackie Williams
Ketchikan, AK - USA

Received September 27, 2006 - Published September 30, 2006


About: "Citizen and voter, future senior citizen."

 

 

On the Web:

Proposition 1 - Sales Tax Increase: For the full text of Ordinance No. 1403 click here
http://borough.ketchikan.ak.us/clerks/documents/1403.pdf

Proposition 2 - Bonds: For the full text of Ordinance No. 1404 click here
http://borough.ketchikan.ak.us/clerks/documents/1404.pdf

White Cliff Project
http://www.ketchikanarts.org/whitecliff

 

 

 

Note: Comments published on Viewpoints are the opinions of the writer
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sitnews.

 

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