I plagarized the “jump start” term from your explanation of the intent of the $6m bond. My point was that we have heard this same phrase as the justification for everything related to downtown spending for 20 years, including the 1988-92 “Master Plan”.

It might be a little inconsistent to state that we cannot abandon the “Master Plan” in mid-stream and yet also admit “there is no consensus about where downtown is going.” I think you suggested it could be an entertainment district, college, residential, etc. It seems to be an admission that there is no longer a “Master Plan”. If this is true: I don’t know whether to be upset or relieved. On one hand it is upsetting that $6m will be raised with no long range focus other than to spend it on downtown property. On the other hand, I would be relieved to know that we are no longer following the marching orders that have directed the past twenty years.

On the matter of secrecy, I think we can all admit that sometimes it is necessary. We can honestly differ in determining where the line is drawn. I firmly feel that excluding personnel matters, secrecy regarding public funds should be a rare rare exception – and definitely not the rule. Everyone quickly forgets to whom the money belongs. It is not Don Buie’s money. It is not ADICA’s money. It is not the City of Albany’s money. It is our money and we have a right to know details regarding how it will be spent BEFORE legal steps are irretreviably taken to raise it.

You state the $6m bond funds will acquire and refurbish properties to be sold at FMV to commercial enterprises to jump start downtown growth? If a financially viable business wanted to locate downtown, why wouldn’t it scoop up the property now at bargain basement prices and develop it themselves? If a business can’t afford to do so, then how are they going to afford to pay a higher FMV for a developed property? And if this “plan” doesn’t work, then will taxpayers service the bond?

Call me a skeptic, but I see the bond as a potential mechanism for people who have gambled on downtown to bail out at public expense. You said the bond will “purchase property and bring it up to code.” Whose property gets bought for development at taxpayer expense? Have the properties already been chosen? If not, why wouldn’t they ahead of the bond being approved. If they have, then we deserve to know which properties, who the owners are, how they were chosen, and the price. Are we just funding a parachute for those who gambled and lost?

Bo Henry gave downtown as good a shot as anyone. The Harvest Moon was the “green shoot” of downtown life. It’s absence is very conspicuous. The Moon didn’t leave Albany. It left downtown. Not only did San Jose leave, but am I the only one who noticed the Herald article stating that despite Buie offering to locate another downtown location, they did not want to stay downtown. Not a very encouraging sign. So much for all that government construction, taxpayer-funded, 9-5 foot traffic supporting commercial. And now we are to believe that residential is viable and night life is viable?

TAD is a separate topic from the bond. I’m not sure I have a big problem with it. It is similar in concept to a stock dividend reinvestment. I do feel it is dishonest to gerrymander Wal-Mart into the TAD. The other areas of town will have to make up for it on their own. However, Wal-Mart’s appearance might just be a pipe-dream anyway.

I know you have a stake in downtown and don’t want to lose it. I applaud your service on the ADICA Board and in the other ways you have served. I very much admire your willingness to debate your position here. You have been a sincere and effective cheerleader for downtown for awhile.

I continue to feel we need to cut spending – not increase it. We are losing jobs. Our property is worth less than a year ago (despite the county’s tax digest). You can’t get blood out of a turnip.

There is a risk the general tax payers will have to pay the 6 million back. There is a risk they will have to pay it back every time a bond is issued for anything. The bottom line is, does the risk of the tax payers having to contribute exceed the need for the revitalization of Downtown? My opinion is no. We already have almost 100 million in downtown, (FRQ, Civil Rights Museum, CVB building, Turtle Grove Park, Hilton, New Science Museum at Thronateeska) Isn’t the 6 million worth protecting this investment? Isn’t the 6 million worth finishing the Master Plan? As I mentioned earlier, all of these activities create the day time traffic. The last part of the puzzle is the night time and weekend traffic.

If we can use the 6 million to bring buildings up to code, for the purpose of attracting night time and weekend traffic, then the start of the end of the Master Plan begins. If it works, then the revitalization of Downtown was successful.

I questioned this several times. I was told Don had the authority to spend up to $1,000.00 without asking. I still don’t know how he wrote the check to Nicole for $2,000.00. I am awaiting that answer. In my opinion, this occurred because he had to much freedom. He was blindly trusted by our chairman.”

Phil,
I’m not picking on you, but did anyone ever ask who gave Buie authority to write checks up to $1,000 and if anyone had to approve them? Is this written down anywhere? Because if I understand your answer correctly, even assuming he wasn’t supposed to write a two-thousand dollar check to someone, he was actually authorized to write two one-thousand dollar checks to the same person (say, for example, one on Monday and one on Friday) without the checks being countersigned by someone else or otherwise scrutinized.

Even setting aside the obvious issue of the kickback and whether or not Nicole was his girlfriend, it seems clear that nobody (not the ADICA board, let alone the commission–God save us!) was watching the ADICA cookie jar while the ADICA sales job was being done to the citizenry of Dougherty County.

BTW, did anyone do a background check on Buie–criminal and financial? It always seemed very odd to me that if he was so successful in Baltimore, why would he come to Albany?

Phil does make a great point regarding the ADICA board. We do need change. Although Phil and I disagree on some points, I do support him as a board member and I appreciate his willingness to discuss the issues.

The idea that a national chain will come to Albany and be ignorant of the existence of other parts of town (where their competitors are) is CRAZY–(this is Langstaff-type [edited by Tom] gibberish). No property owner is going to need to “steer” them to Ledo, they’ll be looking there on their own.

Again, Phil, with much respect for your efforts, these justifications (made by others not you) for the secrecy behind the expenditure of vast sums of money become more idiotic with each telling. They need to stop.

For example, a lot of people don’t know that the city subsidizes the Hilton. I didn’t realize it until it was mentioned by a commenter on this blog. I don’t think people of Albany really want to subsidize private business, especially not established brands like Hilton when so many people here dream of owning their own business. I know the arguments for the subsidization of the hotel, and I empathize. But I think that negotiations do require some oversight, and they’re not getting this…or so it seems to the community as a whole.

What kind of oversight is there in these negotiations?

Of course all this assumes a proper accounting system is in place and honest/trustworthy people implement and oversee the plan.

I do want to be transparent. Other than the issue of losing a national chain to competition I have no other reason to believe anything should be kept “secret”. Secrecy only breeds distrust and dishonesty.

The TAD raises another point of concern. Albany/Dougherty County has experienced minimal growth which would serve to expand the tax base. This is one of many reasons we remain among the highest taxed County’s in the State. The TAD boundary was gerrymandered to include the proposed Wal-Mart location. As Phil explained, all property tax increases due to the construction of the new wal-mart will be directed downtown. I feel the broader tax base should benefit from this growth. Also, while all property is subject to a possible 3 mil increase if the City fails to pay back the bond, only downtown property benefits from the increase in property value if the bond efforts are succeessful.

Tom’s note: The first paragraph was edited by me for clarity per Tim’s request.

The residential aspect is very viable. The night life is also very viable.

1) What exactly are the nature of the projects Buie was talking about that led to the $6 million figure? I would like to think that number wasn’t picked out of a hat. Who came up with it?

The figure is based on purchase price of 4 parcels of property and bringing each piece up to code.

2) The excuses for not disclosing the nature of the projects are non-sensical. Bob Langstaff claimed on this blog on 6/03 that “There are some larger projects that could also occur, but most likely won’t occur, if I offer any more detail than I already have.” Are you personally aware of any such projects contemplated by ADICA that require secrecy?

I am aware of conversations with at least 2 national chains.

3) Also, it has been claimed that disclosure of the ADICA projects would lead to competition from private investors wanting to get into downtown Albany. Isn’t that the point? What private investors are believed to be competing with ADICA? If they are “competing” to invest, shouldn’t we let them “win,” and have them make the investment rather than taxpayers?

I don’t know where this is coming from, of course private investors are what we want. It has been explained to me that, for example, if a private land owner on Ledo Road knew a certain national chain was negotiating to come to Downtown Albany, they may take advantage of the information and convince the chain to go to Ledo road. That is the nature of competition, but the desire was to avoid losing the deal while in the process of rebuilding.

4) Why was ADICA not subject to financial audits prior to Al Lott’s announcement yesterday?

This is my opinion from being around for 3 years. In approximately 1991 ADICA actually transferred all of its power to ATI. ADICA was supposed to oversee ATI. You know the problems ATI had. What happened with Don is the same as what happened with ATI, blindly trusting people. When ATI was dissolved all this came back to ATI and ADICA has to rebuild and reorganize. These issues are issues I saw from day 1. However, there are certain people on the board who have been there for 20 years and I cause so many problems by asking needed questions I often get voted against and can’t get anything done. There has to be a change in the ADICA board.

5) Who (other than Buie) was responsible for “keeping the books”? Does ADICA have a treasurer? Why was Buie requested to turn over all ADICA financial documents if someone else was tasked with “keeping the books”?

I questioned this several times. I was told Don had the authority to spend up to $1,000.00 without asking. I still don’t know how he wrote the check to Nicole for $2,000.00. I am awaiting that answer. In my opinion, this occurred because he had to much freedom. He was blindly trusted by our chairman.

6) What amount has ADICA spent in legal fees fighting with taxpayers and opposing disclosure?

ADICA to my knowledge has spent very little. Maybe a few hours when our attorney had to sit in the hearing. I believe the City is footing that bill and making those decisions.