Arizona republican., 1920-09-30
COUNTY AND CITY BUILDING TOPIC
 AT TOWN MEETING
Civic Center and City of The Future are Discussed at Lively Meeting Speakers Express Views

mittee at the next town meeting as $ result of a motion unanimously adoPtes , last night.
 Discussion Of the phases enterine into the proposals to construct a civ center or q joint city hall and court house were frank in the extreme. Opinions were at variance. quite pat arally. put there was ever predominant a feeling of neighborliness and desire to arrive at a conclusion that would prove most beneficial and satisfactory. It was just like one big family gathered to discuss financial problems and plans for the future.
 Last nights meeting was the intro ductory number of a series of like meetings, in which citizens of Phoenix and the community are welcome speakers to express their views on questions of public moment and to hear the views of their neighbors Through this exchange of ideas the chamber of commerce, as a civic organization, hopes to arrive at some conclusion on these various questions wherein public sentiment will be expressed as to the majority opinion.
 Talk of Future
 The initial town meeting was an all together fitting introductory. In tones friendly to their neighbor. even though at variance. they talked of the future Phoenix; of the Phoenix of 50.000 or the Phoenix of 100000; they frankly expressed opinions on methods of pro- cedure to provide for the housing of public offices when the city reaches the tomorrow Far sighted men con- fessed their inability to even estimate what the requirements of ten years hence may be, but it was the almost unanimous sentiment of the boosters for every man present was a booster that any contemplated improvement now should be big enough to provide for that day when Phoenix and the surrounding community has outgrown it's infancy and reached a state of ma turity.
 the first speaker of the evening, re- spending to a call from Chairman R. D. Roper, father of the town meeting plan. MT. Thompson stated that he had recomme ended to the city commits sion a S150000 bond issue, to be voted this fall. the proceeds from which were to be used in construction of an addi- tion to the present city hall structure and remodeling the present building. The high cost of building materials at this time, together with almost prohib- | itiev construction costs, made a new structure at this time inadvisable, he said.
 Preparation of a city plan for Phoe- nix will soon be started by Mir Ben nett of the Chicago firm of Bennett x Parsons, City Manager Thompson ex- plained later in the evening. Until made, he declared, he thought it unwise to proceed along the line of selection of a civic center or the construction of a joint city hall and court house.
 FaVors Combined Structure Dave Goldberg recommended the construction of joint city hall and court house, preferably on the Central school block. as soon as the necessary | details could be worked out. He de- | clared that the present sites of the two structures could be leased for a period of 99 years and that the pro- ceeds derived from the leases would | be sufficient to pay all interest on a bond issue for the construction of the proposed municipal-county building as well as paying off the interest. 1 J. c. Dobbins took up the discussion. following the line of thought advanced by the city manager, who had sug- gested temporary improvements pend ing completion of plans by experts all ready engaged.
 I Charles McArthur thought 1t much better to wait until the new city plap was finished before proceeding toward I the selection of a civic center or the l construction of a joint city hall and court house
 Employment of an expert to draft a city plan for Phoenix is step in the l right direction, Dwight B. Heard de- clared in a talk urging a preliminary report as soon as possible, that definite steps might be taken toward the de- sired end.
 Must Build for Future.
 "PhoenlX has just begun to grow and We must build for the future" he said
 "but we must have something uniform
 in type. joint city hall and court house undoubtedly has its advantages and conveniences as well as being econ omicaA. We must all get behind this city when the report is made.' City Manager Thompson again took the floor, at the invitation of one of the
 committeee, and explained plans fol , bond issue to be voted on this fall.
 Four hundred and fifty thousand dol
 lars are to be asked in a bond issue tc
 provide for extension of the city water
 system to new sections recently admit
 ted to the city The extension of the
 sanitary sewer system will involve ar
 expenditure of $40. GOO. he declared
 Another s150,000 is be asked foI new parks: $60,0O0 for a new fire sta tion and fire fighting equipment and $40,000 for a state armory here in ad- dition to the $15o.00 to be asked for al addition and improvements to the city hall. The aggregate amout to bt asked in these bond issues is approxi-
 mately s1 900 900, he said
 In reply 10 q question as to when ~tflt 1 city planner would he able to make
 preliminary report. he stated that he believed such Q report could be made
 within a period Of six months and prob [ ably four months
 Other Speakers. F. c. Phelps took issue with the city
 manager on the advisabiIity of issuins l bonds to the extent of $15O,00O for an. improvements or additions to the city
 hall if the report of the city planne could be made within such a shor period. Mir. Heard also took this view and he made a. motion that the com . mittee report something of a construc
 tive nature at the next town meeting ? after consulting with members of tht l city commission. city manager ant board of supervisors
 George H. Reubens. H. B. Wilkinson
 Edgar Kennison. T. J. Croaff and a hal
 dozen others also spoke during tht
 evening. taking one view or the other regarding proposals for the immediat t.
 future.
 The Committoee appointed !. R. Todd |