GSA price for old federal building should not be kept secret

Here is a letter to John Robinson, branch chief of the General Services Administration office of real property utilization and disposal in Fort Worth, Texas, from Jay Purcell of Cape Girardeau, who represents the 2nd District on the Cape Girardeau County Commission. Purcell e-mailed a copy of the letter to the Southeast Missourian.

Mr. Robinson,

My name is Jay Purcell and I am the Cape Girardeau County 2nd District commissioner. As you know, the county commission recently received a sales contract from the General Services Administration in which Cape Girardeau County has the option to purchase the old federal building located at 339 Broadway for a stated price.

The county commission went into closed executive session to discuss the potential purchase of this real estate. In this closed session 1st District Commissioner Paul Koeper reported to the commission that a committee within GSA had arrived at their stated asking price by taking into account several factors such as market value, the building's known deficiencies and the fact that another public governmental body would be purchasing this property. It was also reported to the commission that the GSA would not provide any appraisals or documentation to support their asking price. Both Commissioners Jones and Koeper stated numerous times that the asking price for the old federal building would remain confidential. Your office also indicated a desire to keep the asking price secret in an e-mail from your office dated July 1 to the commission.

I strongly disagree with the idea that the sale price should be kept secret from the public. The old federal building was built with federal tax dollars, and if it is sold to Cape Girardeau County, county tax payer money would be used to buy and remodel this facility. I believe this entire process should be handled in full open public view with public input.

I believe the GSA should publicly release their documentation outlining how they arrived at their asking price for this building. Then our county commission could set a public hearing allowing for citizen input as to whether the county purchasing the old federal building under the GSA terms is in the best interest of our citizens.

I believe that if the citizens of our county are given the opportunity to hear how the purchase and proposed remodel of this building will provide them with a county facility which will provide much-needed additional space in a safer and more accessible building without raising taxes, that they will support this purchase as I do.

If for some reason during these public hearings it is discovered that our plan is flawed or does not have the public's support, we will hear about it, and I would much rather hear the citizens' input before the purchase rather than after when it is too late.

To summarize, I do agree that Cape Girardeau County should try to purchase the old federal building as long as it is purchased at a fair price that would leave room for some substantial remodeling expenses. But I am against holding closed-door meetings and obligating the citizens of Cape Girardeau County to millions of dollars in real estate, remodeling and other ongoing expenses with no public hearings or public input. I hope you will feel the same. Thank you for your time and efforts related to this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you.

JAY PURCELL, 2nd District, Cape Girardeau County Commission