During the Tuesday, March 1, Archuleta Board of County Commissioners meeting, it appeared that the commissioners were going to kick the ‘decision can’ down the road for at least another month, to allow a financial expert to clarify the differences in the bids from the five prospective purchasers of the old County Courthouse.
The financial expert was not specifically named, in the motion by Commissioner Warren Brown to delay the decision, nor was it terribly clear whether this same financial expert would be advising the BOCC on how they might cobble together the money to finance a new building for the three County offices still operating in the old Courthouse.
Commissioner Brown acknowledged that the complexity of the offers.
As mentioned in Part One, the commissioners had promised the bidders that a definite decision would be made on March 1. Didn’t happen. One of the bidders, local developer Bob Hart, wondered if the BOCC was now committing to make a decision on April 5? Another bidder, Jamie Scholl, concurred with the suggestion to bring in a financial adviser, considering the vague language contained in some of the offers.
Mr. Scholl then introduced his “attorney, who also happens to be my wife.” I didn’t catch the wife’s name, but she was happy to address the BOCC.
“I just want to address Commissioner Maez’ concern. And everybody on the panel, and myself included; we were all part of the stalls and starts and the stalls and starts, with the Courthouse and the jail. And I believe we learned a lot there, and I like the idea of utilizing the same relationships that we gained there, that resulted in the beautiful properties that we have up there. What a gift they are to this community.”
The ‘beautiful properties’ would presumably mean, the new County jail and County Courthouse… and perhaps also the remodeled Harman Museum which now serves the Sheriff’s Office (from which most of the museum items have no doubt been removed.) And I presume “the panel” was the group appointed by the BOCC that attempted (but failed) to get a one-percent sales tax increase approved, to finance the jail and courthouse.
Ms. Scholl continued:
“I also wanted the commissioners to know, also speaking to Mr. Maez’ concern that… I serve on the board of Aspire, and we are seeing an influx, as the commissioners are probably aware, of younger families coming into this community. This community is growing and growing, and… you know, the bible says to expand the borders of your tent, and it will be filled. And I understand the wisdom of finding something to [relocate to] before you sell what you have. But I also firmly believe in… if you build it, and you start the process, it will be the impetus.
“I’m not saying we want you out of there so we can move in there, and get on with the project. I’m saying that, as the momentum moves, there’s plenty of propulsion behind it and what we have planned for this project, to be a tax base. To fill a need in the community.
“And so, when the first step is taken, for you to find your new place and for the sale to be done, it will be like a vacuum and all those things will take its place.”
I’m not entirely sure what the commissioner thought of the “vacuum” metaphor.
Commissioner Brown:
“Mr. Chair, I move that we take the matter under advisement for the purposes of obtaining financial advice for the determination of actual value of the offers, and the ability of the company making the offer to close in a timely manner.
“Does that make sense?” he asked his fellow commissioners.
Commissioner Maez responded.
“The financial advisor also needs to focus on the County, as far as us building a new building.”
“I just didn’t know if you wanted to put that in the motion?” asked Commissioner Brown.
“I would,” responded Commissioner Maez. “Because the way you have the motion now, to me it seems like we’re committing to sell the building, regardless of the financial advisor might advise differently…
“My main concern is, it’s not just the financial stability of the buyer, but we really need to sit down and have a brass-tacks plan.”
“I appreciate that,” said Commissioner Brown, “but I don’t think, within 30 days, we’re going to have a brass-tacks plan. But I think we can start heading that way by contracting a financial advisor, to look at the value of the offers, not only monetarily but who is able to close on this within short order, and to ask them for their advice in moving forward with the building.”
We might note that the BOCC has been asking for Courthouse offers, officially, for over a year. Yet it appears, from this discussion, that they have not even begun to try and create a “brass-tacks plan” for what will happen following the sale of the Courthouse.
Commissioner Brown turned to County Attorney Todd Weaver for help with the motion. The attorney offered this language:
“So, move to take the offers under consideration, so that the Board can receive feedback on the offers and a potential path forward, from retained financial experts.”
“That’s my motion,” asserted Commissioner Brown. The motion passed unanimously.
Speaking as a taxpayer, I would be delighted to know that the BOCC had — all along — a “brass-tacks plan” for the future needs of the County Clerk, Assessor and Treasurer, before they ever began thinking about selling the Courthouse building out from under us.
But since they obviously don’t have one, I would be delighted if the BOCC worked with a financial adviser to fully understand the offers they’re been presented, and the position we are in, at this moment in time. And perhaps, they will be advised to develop a “brass-tacks” plan?
The idea of a governmental “vacuum” just doesn’t sit that well with me, for some reason.
Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can’t seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.