Cost of Police Station

According to today's Telegraph Journal the city has paid a property owner $490,000 for a property that they will tear down at 105 Union Street. The city is also giving this property owner a property that Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase suggested is worth $200,000 for $1. This means that the city is giving this owner almost $700,000 for a piece of land that according to the city survey is 4,147.9 square feet.

The city paid $166 per square foot for this land. Ask a realtor if this is typical, and you'll find out that no it is not.

This is a ludicrous use of the public purse. The city needs a police station, but even if it belongs at the proposed site, paying this amount for land is not a good idea.

City Manager Terry Totten needs to tell the people of this city what hidden logic he is applying in having the city pay such a ridiculous amount. If he can't explain this in a way that satisfies our citizens, he needs to step aside and let someone else make these calls.

To build this police station the city has already spent $490,000 cash for this one piece of land.

The current council was elected to end poor decision making and to spend our limited resources well. The city is failing in this regard. It must stop.

We can't afford this.