by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
The City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on whether they want Mayor John Peyton to renegotiate a previously passed garage development deal downtown.
The only problem is while many on the Council say they support the resolution, they are also unsure if asking to reconsider the deal will do any good.
In February, they gave the multi-million project their blessing by a 15-2 vote, authorizing Metropolitan Parking Solutions to build three garages which SMG would manage.
A few weeks later, Council president Lad Daniels and Finance Committee chair Warren Alvarez changed their tune, calling the plan “a bad deal.”
“We always had concerns,” said Daniels. “I was hoping we were going to send it back to committee so we could look at the proposal with more detail.”
It didn’t, so Daniels and Alvarez filed the legislation, crossed their fingers and hoped Peyton would reconsider and, more importantly, renegotiate the terms of the agreement.
Daniels said it is unwise to subsidize SMG costs because the two garages near the City’s sports complex aren’t necessary at this time.
“We weren’t given information in total (when we originally voted), and that’s not appropriate,” said Alvarez.
Appropriate or not, Peyton and his staff say the deal is done, the contracts signed.
“The mayor is sensitive to the Council, but as he has said before, we’ve entered into a contract and we plan to honor it,” said Peyton spokesperson Heather Murphy.
Council member Suzanne Jenkins said she would support the resolution, but added it was likely “a moot point.”
“It gives us a bit of a swipe by saying we’ve gotten into a bad deal, but at a certain point you have to ask, ‘Why are we even doing this?’ ” she said. “Because we didn’t move it as an emergency, we may just have waited too long. But I guess you can try to take a shot in the dark and see what happens.
“Maybe he can go back and take another look, maybe not. He doesn’t have to do anything.”
Council member Jerry Holland, who with Art Graham originally voted against building the garages, said Peyton would likely acknowledge the Council’s disapproval, but wouldn’t change his mind about taking another look.
“It’s his call,” he said. “You know, all we’re going to do is express our opinion. That’s all it is, an opinion and he can do with it what he wants to.
“I don’t expect he’ll do much with it.”
Others believe Peyton’s failure to listen may set an unintended precedent, causing a larger rift down the line.
“If this passes, he’s left with a choice,” said Council member Lake Ray. “I believe he should act on it as an act of good faith because if he doesn’t he could send the wrong message.
“He’s not obligated, but by not listening that could create an unnecessary strain between the two branches. I’m hoping we can avoid that.”