The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-02-11
Mayor and Council Ask for
Encouragement - Ap-
preciate Comments
THINK ARCHITECTS
PRICE is TOO HIGH
And Maybe Then City
Man Would "Gip" Us
on the Building

In last weeks issue prominent
citizen of Kennewick asked the city
council to explain their failure to
employ an architect to draw the plans
and supervise the construction of the
,moposed city hall building. The fol-
lowing letter was written in explana-
tion and is signed by the mayor, and
Councilmen A. I. Smith. j. McDow-
ell n. B. Terril, C.. N. Koelker and
Geo. HartJe.
According to writer in your last
;ssue of the Courier Reporter, who
signs himself as ga Subscriber" !"
there seems to be some mystery in
connection with the action of the city
council in regards to an architects
plans and specifications for the pro-
posed city hall building on which the
public will shortly be requested to
voice their approval, or disapproval
thru the medium OF a special election
to be held for the purpose.
In all fairness to the members of
the city council whom you have elect
ed to safeguard the best interests of
your city, be it said that the meet
ings Of this body are always open to
the general public, in fact the MEM
bers of this body, both individually
and collectively would greatly ap-
preciate it if the voting public would
avail themselves more Of the oppor-
tunity to attend these meetings, to
offer what suggestions they may
have for the betterment of your city.
Reminder that the men you have
elected to govern your city, are only
human like anyone else and little
encouragement here or little crit
icism there as your point of view may
be, is always helpful and appreciated.
Regarding the question the Sub
scriber" raises, namely, 'Is it the
purpose of the majority of the city
council to proceed, if authorized. to
build. without qualified plans and
Specifications from a competent ar
chitect, and without disinterested in
spection and supervision during the
construction of the building?" 1t is
really absurd to question on this
score the integrity of the members
Of your city council who are all heavy
taxpayers in the city and naturally
do have the welfare of, the commun-
ity at heart.
To get down to brass tacks Sub
scriber" has attempted to camouflage
the real issue, which in this case is
namely: SHOULD the city expend a
sum of approximately $500 Or more,
for the only purpose of having an out
Of town architect draw a set of plans
and specifications of construction, and
who would perhaps make three or
Tour hurried inspections during the
construction, not to mention the too
often case of possibly being allied
with the contractor in charge allow
ing inferior grades of material to be
used, as being of the standard spe-
clned in the contract, with the result
oi the city paying full price for the
inferior article, and a resultant poor
structure of a building, or should the
city accept like set of plans and
specifications from a pioneer local
resident and taxpayer, fully qualified
uru years of successful experience
as contractor and builder for a
specified sum of $4,000, payable on
In case his bid on the contract
should not be the lowest and best bid
submitted, otherwise to cost the city
axpayers not one single penny?"
Inc majority of your city council
considered eoa the expenditure Of the
sooO as needless waste of city funds
ana therefore felt that they could not
eonsclentiously favor the measure.