Where's the No-Bid Plaza?/A Truly Fantabulous Contest

The Alabama legislature is considering a no-bid law for public works projects. We chiefly support bids on most everything connected with government spending, but we know that some projects are exempt. The services of an architect is one exemption, and this can be either good or bad. In case you've forgotten:

College Street Plaza

So how is this project going? We have no idea. The last mention of the project seems to have been in February 2014 when architect Donnie Phillips stated his plans should be finished by May 2014. Once work started, Phillips estimated the plaza would be open in four months.

We feel sure there has to be a parallel universe somewhere in which the College Street Plaza sits side by side with the UNA College of Intergrative Health and a fully operational rail car plant.

*****

Well, we seem to have missed another holiday...and it was a biggie. How could we have overlooked "National Pate Day?" The Pate family has a long and distinguished heritage in Colbert County:

Joseph David Pate WWII

Now it seems there's a National Pate Day, and we feel so horrible about missing it, we have come up with an appropriate way for everyone to salute the Pate brothers while actually doing something for one of the area's most worthy causes.

Below is a picture of the Pate Brothers, presumably posted for Siblings Day which somehow morphed into National Pate Day. We want you, our wonderful readers to vote on your favorite Pate. This is strictly going to be on an honor system, but if you vote, you need to make a donation to HASRA or Safeplace. We'll have the poll up by tomorrow, but in the meantime, you can be making your selection now.

L to R: William, Shaun, Joey, & Daniel

Shoalanda

College Street Plaza Already Smells to High Heaven

When Mickey Haddock was elected the mayor of Florence, he stated he wanted UNA students involved in decision making for the city. How about we start with having some everyday citizens involved in decision making as well?

99% of the population probably didn't know about any plans to close half a block of College Street until they read it in today's TimesDaily. It might be the greatest idea since sliced bread and tampons, but when there's already an architect's sketch of said project, one tends to feel that our city fathers aren't asking for input. We're seriously thinking Mayor Haddock may be channeling the ghost of Eddie Frost, who never met a money pit he didn't like.

Let's look at just a few problems with this project:

1. Architectural services don't have to be bid--that's the current law; however, when a project is the size of the proposed new plaza, isn't it wise to bid it out, or at least to get some different ideas? How was Donnie Phillips selected for this 650K project?

2. The city is currently scrambling for funds to build a bridge to re-open part of West College Street for easier downtown access, but they want to close part of the thoroughfare before it reaches Court Street? (Thanks to Dennis Sherer for pointing this out.)

3. One aim of the project is to offer pedestrians easier access between the county courthouse and the Florence-Lauderdale Government Building. The last time we checked, the one block of College Street which separates the two is not part of the Autobahn. We're unaware of any pedestrians losing their lives to local motorists who don't understand traffic signals. 

Donnie Phillips states he's been asking "what if" for twenty years*. Now all citizens of Florence should ask why...

* The former First Southern Bank building wasn't purchased for use as a government building until 2007, so Mr. Phillips has been contemplating closing College Street for fourteen years before that? Yep, something smells.



Shoalanda