Civic Building Update

By Brian Hodson

Our new civic building and library is proposed for 2nd Avenue between the movie theater and the 2 corner lots on Juniper. The city has acquired ownership of the lots needed for the project.

We have chosen the methodology to build the structure by doing what's called a CM/GC. This stands for "Construction Manager/General Contractor". This method enables us to better control costs and ensure that there are no project overruns.  It also helps us meet and not exceed our budget limits.

Today, the city will officially submit an RFP (Request For Proposal) to be included in the Daily Journal of Commerce. What this means is we are soliciting proposals from potential construction managers for the project. Our submission will officially be in this journal Monday, September 15th, 2014.

We will leave the proposal process open until October 15th, 2014, at which point an internal committee will review the proposals and make a recommendation to the city council.  The internal committee is: Councilor President Tim Dale, City Councilor Todd Rocha, interim City Manager Amanda Zieber, Library Director Melissa Kelly, Library Board President Roger Reif, and (when assigned), our new city manager.

After the Construction Manager is brought on, the next step is bringing in an architecture firm to create drawings for the project.

Why Campaign Signs Are Important

By Brian Hodson

Do all those campaign signs really make a difference for a candidate or measure in an election? When election times rolls around, we start to see the sprinkle (and sometimes onslaught!) of campaign signs on billboards, along highway exits, at businesses, and in peoples' yards. Do they make a difference?

As an elected official who has run 2 campaigns (one as city councilor, one as mayor), I would concur yes. Here's why:

1. Signs Remind Voters It's Election Time. Let's face it, we have busy lives. If you are a registered voter, you should receive election information in the mail. But it's nice to have a constant reminder that it is voting season. Signs around town remind voters of this.

2. They Show Your Support. While not all voters want to publicly display who they support in a given election, those that do can easily show who they support (and that they support the voting process) by displaying a sign at their business or home.

3. They Really Do Inform. Again, for those voters that might not have picked up a voters' pamphlet yet or read up on the issues, seeing a sign for a particular candidate or measure might let voters know it's time to vote for that office or issue. For example, people in Canby are still surprised that it's a 2 year term for mayor and that I am running again this November.

So, put out those signs! While I am running unopposed, I appreciate your support and feel free to spread the word.