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| 1/12/2009 12:38:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Caution best approach to plan for Hawthorne
Jack Miles
Editor
Hawthorne Plaza is a big, exciting development - one of the best-looking projects for Warrensburg in a long time, but City Council members are wise to approach a new wrinkle in the plan with caution.
Co-developer David Edwards on Friday asked the council for what the city's bond counsel characterized as financial help. The council heard what Edwards had to say, including that the development would stall if the council fails to compromise on a legal agreement.
The city also heard from lawyers who are bond experts and from City Manager Jeff Hancock. Bond counsel Sid Douglas III likened what Hawthorne sought to putting the city in the role of banker, a description Edwards rejected, but which helped persuade the council to vote no on changing the city's agreement with Hawthorne.
Without getting too technical, the city at this point rejects having any financial obligation for Hawthorne Plaza. The city would have an obligation only after Neighborhood Improvement District bonds are issued. The city takes the position that those bonds cannot be issued until Northern Hills Road and street light work are done. The work is not done, bonds have not been issued, about $4 million in financial notes come due this week, developers want city to rethink the financial agreement and the council found no way to do so - at least not in the first-round meeting Friday.
Council members want the project completed. Councilwoman Deborah Arwood appealed strongly for some legal way to compromise. When no clear means of compromise surfaced last week, Mayor Donna DeFrain suggested the developers return with ideas for council consideration at the meeting set for 7 tonight.
Whether Hawthorne Plaza succeeds is important to Warrensburg. The evidence of that importance could be heard in the voices of council members. They would like the city to enjoy the tax income from a retail center that could at least preserve the city's tax base by giving residents more reason to shop here, and perhaps expand the tax base by drawing shoppers from other communities.
Whether anything can be done to resolve the legal questions is unclear. After the meeting, Edwards expressed confidence that compromise is possible, with a focus being on how specifically to meet requirements for road and streetlight work.
If compromise fails, the plan for retail stores, a movie theater and a bowling alley at Hawthorne Plaza - buildings that for the most part are erected - would be jeopardized and possibly halted for years to come, Edwards said.
Throwing caution to the wind would be a poor way for city leaders to act toward Hawthorne and certainly they are right to continue acting with caution, but if compromise can be found tonight, from all indications, the city would be better off in the long run.
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