I would like to make a couple of comments regarding the recent letters disparaging the City Hall removation.

It is well documented that children perform higher, have a pride of ownership, and respect their school when their school is attractive and well maintained.
Comment: So take a look at Renton High School from the back--doesn't anyone see that the facility needs painting badly?

It is a fact that successful businesses spend untold dollars to beautify their offices.
Comment: Businessnes are successful for just the opposite reason; they do not spend untold money unwisely.

After all, their staff will spend over 2,000 hours a year in those cubes; it increases the likelihood of attracting competent people who will want to stay.
My comment: The old city hall, good pay, and security aren't enough?

It gives them a return on their dollar. They wouldn't spend the money otherwise.
My comment: their dollar? In this case, isn't it the taxpayers' dollar? Maybe that is where our new city hall project got off to a bad start.

We all spend money to beautiful and maintain our homes, even to change them to enhance our quality of life.
My comment: But we must live within our means.

Where there is public or private neglect of our schools, businesses, and homes, the standard of living is low.
My comment: When the city overdevelopes, our standard of living is affected also.

Personally, I want the high level of competence we have in our city's employees.
My comment: What? Employees weren't just as competent working in the old city hall?

At the Community in Schools Mentor Recognition banquet, and at the Rotary Caper Benefit Auction, at the various neighborhood association meetings, in the Senior Center services, in all the wonderful events, classes, and programs offered by the Renton Recreation Division, you will see, in force, the city employees who are giving of their professional and free time.

This is what we want! I have seen some of the stripped down federal offices, cramped, dark and depressing.
My comment: This is absurd logic! Most of the city employees worked in an building on the edge of a river across from a beautiful park. If the old city hall was getting cramped, as hard it may sound, streamlining operations and reducing the number of employees should have been the answer.

I've also seen the type of employees it attracts. They hate their job, they don't want to be there, and they do the minimum.

I also think it was responsible and clever of the city to get badly needed space for our police and city employees without increased taxes.
My comment: Responsible and clever? Without increased taxes? Did the city print the money it used for the new city hall? Whether the money came from new revenues, or old revenues, or councilmanic bonds is irrelevant. It's still the taypayers' money.

That is living up to the spirit of I-695.
My comment: Hold me down! Misstatements like this drive me crazy.

People moving here from other cities have been AMAZED at what Renton offers. Maybe because we haven't lived in other cities we don't recognize how unique we are.

I have lived here for over 20 years and the improvement has been dramatic and heartening. "I live in Renton" is said now with a much different feeling that 20 years ago, believe me.
My comment: I mean no personal offense to Ms. Clawson (any relationship to Councilman Clawson?). But this letter really scratched the bottom of the barrel for reasons to justify the new city hall and it failed miserably.
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File: clawson.html
Posted: 06/22/00