BEAT BYTE: Sasaki Shocker--Plan Shows Museum on Wrong Block!

BEAT BYTES -- 1/22/09
News Briefs From the Columbia Heart Beat

1) Sasaki Plan Shows History Museum on Wrong Block
2) City Admits: Bengals Land Worth Big Bucks
3) City Hall Backs Off Eminent Domain Threat (For Now)
4) Nine file for School Board; Hoppe Draws Challenger
5) Paquin Fundraising Committee Forms
6) Gay Community Welcomes Center Project

1) Sasaki Plan Shows History Museum on Wrong Block

COLUMBIA, 1/22/09 (Beat Byte) -- According to the Sasaki Plan, Bengals Bar and Grill; U. S Cleaners; and a duplex may be in the way of a new State Historical Society museum, possibly necessitating E.D. -- eminent domain.

Or not.

A detailed map of the much-hyped Sasaki Plan obtained from City of Columbia communications staff does show a new State Historical Society museum -- numbered, color-coded, and named -- but ACROSS THE STREET from Bengals.

By the map, Bengals owner Jack Rader is doing exactly what he's supposed to according to Sasaki -- preparing to redevelop his land for "mixed use -- retail, residential, or office."

The map shows the history museum on the now empty parking lot adjacent to MU's Heinkel Building, directly across from Peace Park. Downtown Leadership Council (DLC) member Glenn Rice acknowledged the discrepancy on a Missourian op-ed yesterday condemning the eminent domain plan.

"The Sasaki 'plan' (a study, not a plan) puts the new State Historical Society Museum between 6th and 7th Streets, NOT between 5th and 6th Streets, as [assistant city manager] Tony St. Romaine earlier said," Rice wrote. He also wanted to know why "the full Sasaki report isn't available on the city's website."

An Oct. 27 City Council report from the DLC contradicts itself, on one page putting the history museum "on Elm Street facing Peace Park" (the Bengals/U.S. Cleaners site does not face Peace Park, but a group of MU buildings) then a few pages away, putting the museum on the Bengals site "consistent with the Sasaki Plan."

Which wouldn't be consistent with the Sasaki plan. (Aye yi yi!)

RELATED:
http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/dec/20081214news010.asp
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/01/21/mayor-city-council-need-rethink-ethics-eminent-domain/
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Council/Minutes/documents/2008_oct27_materials.pdf

2) CITY ADMITS: Rader/Bengals Land Worth Big Bucks!

COLUMBIA, 1/22/09 (Beat Byte) -- In another surprise, the same October 2008 report from the Downtown Leadership Council (DLC) admits "it is reasonable to expect" that the Bengals/U.S. Cleaners location across from MU "could be worth around $2 million." The city council accepted the report at their October 27 meeting. The admission could affect City Hall's ability to negotiate a low, eminent-domain driven price on the land, owned by Jack and Julie Rader, Matt Jenne and Adam Dushoff.

The DLC report also notes that prior "negotiations with the owners" haven't been successful, though the Raders claim they only received a couple of telephone calls from the State Historical Society gauging their interest in selling and Jenne/Dushoff claimed no communications. It also calls plans to acquire the property "critical," noting that state dollars would have to be "leveraged to a much higher goal." The report does not mention eminent domain.

RELATED:
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Council/Minutes/documents/2008_oct27_materials.pdf

3) City Hall Backs Off Eminent Domain Threat (For Now)

COLUMBIA, 1/22/09 (City Hall) -- City Council members cancelled a public hearing originally advertised for Feb. 2, 2009 at 7 p.m. The hearing, relating to proposed acquisition of land (bounded by Elm Street, Lancaster Drive, Fifth Street and Sixth Street) for a new State Historical Society of Missouri building, would have been held during the Council’s regular meeting on that day.

In the interest of allowing the parties directly affected by the proposal to continue their discussions, Council members directed city staff to cancel the Feb. 2 hearing. Council may consider and adopt a resolution setting a future public hearing. In that event, the city clerk would publish notice as required.

The Council set the February hearing date when it adopted Resolution R284-08A on Dec. 15, 2008. The city clerk published notice on Jan. 11, 2009. -- Toni Messina, Director, City of Columbia Public Communications

4) Nine file for School Board; Hoppe Draws Challenger

COLUMBIA, 1/22/09 (Beat Byte) -- Candidate filing for Columbia School board closed with nine people, the largest number in nearly a decade. Christine King was the last to file. According to Columbia Daily Tribune reporter Jonathon Braden:

King left a nearly 20-year career at State Farm Insurance Cos., where she was a claim team manager, to pursue other passions, including getting involved with the school board. "I think I bring a certain level of leadership and the ability to think problems through and gather information and make decisions that are in the best interest of everyone," she said.

King said her previous school board experience should help her get elected. From 2002 to 2007 King served on the board of directors for the Columbia Montessori School. "I always feel the more the competition, the stronger the race," King said. "To me, this is the best time for me to do it rather than waiting."

Sixth Ward councilwoman Barb Hoppe has also drawn a challenger: Rod Robison, manager of the water systems department at Riback Supply Co.

RELATED:
http://www.columbiatribune.com/2009/Jan/20090121News007.asp
http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/boardcan.php

5) Care@ Paquin Committee Kicks Off Fundraising
Community group forms in response to city cuts in program for Columbians
with disabilities.

By Sean Spence

(Columbia, MO) 1/22/09 -- Columbia citizens concerned about this year's city budget cuts to the Paquin Recreation Program have formed Columbia Accessible Recreation @ Paquin (CARE@Paquin). The committee's purpose is to raise
money to replace city funding cut from the 08'-09' city budget. The committee also hopes to educate the public concerning the importance of the recreation program to Columbians with disabilities, in an effort to ensure future city funding of the program.

"It is important for us to remember that the program at Paquin provides one of the few high quality, accessible recreation opportunities for Columbians with disabilities," Sean Spence, chair of the committee, said. "This program serves people from all over the city, and preserving it should not be an option."

The committee has developed an aggressive fundraising plan including direct mail, special events and individual requests. The committee also plans on partnering with local churches and civic groups for fundraising as well as social and personal assistance activities for the residents of Paquin Tower. This effort is commencing with an alliance with The Crossing church, which is planning both fundraising and service activities.

The committee includes Sean Spence (committee chair), Dean Andersen, Rhett Brengarth, Sarah Catlin-Dupuy, Nancy Harter, Ines Segert, Marilyn Starke, Brian Waller and Paquin residents Richard Craghead and Aaron Perkins. The committee will meet the second Tuesday of each month to plan events and monitor progress. Anyone interested in joining the committee or interested in more information may contact Sean Spence at 573.823.1308.

6) Gay Community Welcomes Center Project

The Center Project Board of Directors is pleased to announce that we have signed a lease for mid-Missouri's first GLBTQA center! The site is located downtown on Ash St. between 9th and 10th Street. For more info, please visit:

http://www.thecenterproject.org/new_space.html

FIRST-LOOK RECEPTION and HARD HAT FUNDRAISER
Friday, February 20th
6:00-9:00 p.m.
907 E. Ash St.
Join us for appetizers and live music.