The picture above shows the new City Hall from Third Avenue SW and what you are actually seeing is the 2nd and 3rd floor. The 1st floor is accessible from the 2nd or 3rd floor via stairs or elevator. I bring this up because the building does have an entrance from 2nd Ave SW where the City rents out space to two businesses that are not City related BUT access into the City Hall portion is locked. I want to point out that ONE of the excuses the City Council gave for their lavish spending is they did not have enough room in their old building. You didn't have enough space but now you want to rent out space you are sure to grow into???
Above is the "Old" City Hall. As much as I searched I could not find when it was built but obviously it is NOT all that old. The information I seeked was behind the locked door. There was a plaque inside as a monument to those who over spent at that time.
The old City Hall was conveniently located next door to Minot's Police Department and across the street from the Minot Public Library. I bring this up because people often went to the Library and then crossed the street to pay their utility bills. My good friend Jerry, the past librarian, often had to attend meetings at City Hall but the new location will be much less convenient for the new head librarian as it also will be for Officers of Minot's Police Department when they need information from City records.
So, besides the obvious drive of the current City Council members desire to be forever remembered by the plaque on the new City Hall wall my understanding is the brilliant excuse to spend millions of dollars we don't have is that the Federal Government dangled a big carrott in front of them for matching dollars and they couldn't resist that.
This is my 3rd and final installment to Dr. Paula McDonald and Kathy Streib 's September challenge "Let's Get Serious About Writing a Blog Series". I encourage you to click on the link and see what other bloggers have entered into the challenge.
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