Board of Commissioners votes in favor of Grant Line sprawl, adjourns to view "American Idol"

Last week, the Floyd County Council voted 4-3 to build a new office “annex” at the current Grant Line Road site.

Last night, the three-member Floyd County Board of Commissioners ratified this decision.

Somewhere, a property developer is drinking champagne.

NA Confidential commends Jane Alcorn of Develop New Albany and Greg Sekula of the Historic Landmarks Foundation Of Indiana for their appearance at the Board of Commissioners meeting.

Jane presented a persuasive case on behalf of delaying a decision to explore downtown relocation options, while Greg asked for a formal consideration of the historical merits of the current annex, which would be demolished after the new structure is built (to read Greg's letter to the board, go here).

The yawns of the comissioners were audible as far away as Beijing.

Bored board president John Reisert, who has consistently led by example with respect to endorsing urban sprawl in Floyd County, brushed off the petitioners, noting that "we've been talking about it (the plans) for eight months," then urging immediate passage (with accompanying hot toddy, and hot greased rubber stamps all around).

We find it interesting that more than one “final” vote was taken by the County Council when the topic at hand was whether or not to buy the Northside Christian property – the transparently conflicted agenda favored by councilmen Ted Heavrin and Larry McCallister, as it is one that would have pleased ex-councilman Don McCartin, Northside’s chosen realtor.

Now, suddenly, the issue has been resolved in one session, with the County Council deciding to spend even more newfound money than would have been needed to buy the Northside property, and far more recently uncovered money than would have been needed to move offices downtown into waiting space while a comprehensive plan of future benefit to the county as a whole can be conceived and executed.

There is a persistent rumor, admittedly unverified, that one potentially sleazy aspect of the freshly ordained annex construction project will be the sale of the county’s Grant Line Road frontage and its development into a strip mall opposite Wal-Mart.

So much for the next-to-last open green space inside the beltway.

For further reading, see Volunteer Hoosier.