MEXICO BEACH — A standing-room-only crowd of more than 70 residents filled the civic center Tuesday with some ready to oppose the City Council’s decision to put the new City Hall in Municipal Park and others poised to support it.
By the end of the meeting, the council voted to stick with plans to put City Hall in Municipal Park on 21st Street, slightly altering the site and floor plans.
After learning from Preble-Rish Engineering that the site did not require its own stormwater pond, the council passed a motion to move the building to the east side of the park to keep the existing tennis courts and playground equipment together.
More than 15 citizens took to the podium to share thoughts with the council. Several citizens used the opportunity to speak out against losing the park while others voiced a desire to see the project be completed after nearly three years of discussion.
“Municipal Park is the only place in Mexico Beach to be together as a family unit,” said one resident. “Please save our park.”
“Let’s get on with it,” said another citizen. “Let’s do it within our means and it will come out best for everybody.”
Council members insisted the park wasn’t going away, simply being condensed and that money would be set aside to purchase new and better children’s equipment.
“My opinion is that the majority (of citizens) do want us to move forward with this place,” said Councilwoman Mary Blackburn. “We need to get on with it.”
Citizens who supported the council’s original decision to put the City Hall on the former Parker property spoke out to question why that plan wasn’t followed.
“We’re making decisions in the best interest of the city and for the greater good, and I know we could be upsetting the people who we represent,” Councilwoman Tanya Castro said.
Castro provided citizens with an overview of the engineering report from the Parker property, conducted last year, which showed the site to have unstable soil making building on the property problematic.
“For over two-and-a-half years, what was written and spoken was that we were going to put City Hall on the Parker property,” Mayor Al Cathey said. “In less than 90 days that’s been changed. I’m disappointed we changed course, but that’s the way it is.”
“I think we’ve fallen through on our commitment,” Councilman Jack Mullen added.
With the council standing steadfast in its decision to put the new City Hall at Municipal Park, conversation turned to the materials to be used for construction. While Blackburn, Castro and Jeff Tendler favored a custom modular building to save costs, Cathey and Mullen wanted to continue investigating a stick-built structure that would fit with the look of the city.
A motion to revise the floor plans for a modular building with a simplified roof passed 4-1, with Cathey voting against it.
“The city deserves better than this,” Cathey said. “To me, this is a lost opportunity.”