To Joplin City Council candidate Harvey Hutchinson, the Wallace-Bajjali firm, is a "dog and pony show," but most of the candidates attending the forum at Missouri Southern State University appeared to be fully behind the city's master developer.
And no wonder.
Council members Trisha Raney and Mike Woolston noted that the city signed a five-year contract with Wallace-Bajjali and if it ended the contract, it would have to pay $3 million to $4 million.
The incumbent council members were supportive of Wallace-Bajjali, though a couple expressed reservations.
The answers came in response to a question from KOAM reporter Lisa Olliges, who asked if the council members would be willing to shake loose from Wallace-Bajjali if the time comes when no progress is being made in redevelopment of the city's tornado-stricken area.
The responses:
Miranda Lewis- Now is not the time to end the contract. We need to hold them accountable. When we see some progress, that will foster some support from the community.
Trisha Raney- I am hopeful this summer we will start seeing some dirt moving. If we ended the contract now it would cost the city $3 million. That is not an option."
Mike Seibert- (Wallace-Bajjali) has secured additional funding, over $4 million in state funds. We are going to see dirt move by summer.
Gary Shaw- We have to remember we hired the firm we thought was the best. They are on schedule.
Ryan Stanley- I have confidence in Wallace-Bajjali. They are living up to the promises that they had made. The City Council's job is to hold them accountable.
Jim West- I'm concerned that I have not seen a whole lot done. The city needs to hold them more accountable.
Mike Woolston- The community is impatient because they don't have a knowledge of how things should be done.
Jack Golden- We have projects announced that have never come through to maturity. We need to get out the right information. I haven't seen much willingness for them to put up their own money.
Harvey Hutchinson- I am very disappointed in Wallace-Bajjali. The library is one of the three or four most important buildings downtown and they are wanting to move it across town.
Woolston should be running for school board with that attitude of the public being too ignorant to understand what is happening and how things should be done.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately for all of them, we aren't that stupid and we intend to hold them accountable on April 8.
If they keep Wallace Bajjalli and lose their proverbial shirts, it could be the 3-4 million to run them off might seem like a cheap price to pay. Why throw good money after bad? It's nothing but ridiculous that not one clod of soil has been turned after nearly three years, and the city manager who brought his friends here has gone South with them. Read Turner's research on Wallace Bajjalli before you sign on any more dotted lines. Many have been fleeced for far more than your penalty will cost.
ReplyDeleteI'm more concerned about the projects that Balless Wajjali want to build. We do not need the senior transitional housing project; we do not need a ballpark; we do not need a new theatre. $3M is a lot of money, but lets not throw good money after bad. Get an attorney and get this matter settled.
ReplyDeleteYou would prefer we remain a backwater podunk with no future for our kids but Walmart and Popeyes Chicken. The best thing to offer our kids is cruisin' the loop and getting drunk, and pregnant, at the park. Gee swell. Please move away.
DeleteWoolston is coming across like Mr. Huff n Puff they apparently both feel we just can't understand the school budget being what it is,and the steps that have to happen for development to occur! Put the figures out in the open we'll figure it out. I attended Joplin schools way before the common core program and feel confident I WILL UNDERSTAND
ReplyDeleteSo that's how Wallace-Bajjali makes their money, they screw up and don't do anything the contract gets canceled and the city pays a penalty. Robbery with a pen.
ReplyDeleteA few things I wish the residents of Joplin and the voters as well realize, Wallace-Bajjalli are not stupid. They are a Texas-based company who does projects to make money, not lose money. They are too smart, and well-versed if the business world and development business that they know every angle possible to turn a buck.
ReplyDeleteThe $3 or 4 million (I was told it was $5 million) buyout option was done on purpose in case the situation goes the direction it has gone this far. They knew that once they got into bed with the City of Joplin, it was going to cost the city whether there was any "action" or not.
The residents are beginning to feel like they are getting the shaft and trust me, when the dust is all settled, there will be a screw job done, it will be interesting to see just who got it.
If they prove me wrong, so be it. This is the Show-Me State and they need to show me some results for me to believe there is not something bigger going on here. I understand things move a speed of business, but there is having patience and then there is show me something with some substance.
I really want them to succeed, I want them to make it work, but I question whether or not in the court of public opinion, that the ship has sailed and the only option is to buy them out and sending them packing.
Don't pay them off just let them wither on the vine. Progress is and will continue to happen with or without them. The other Texas developer that came here Michael Wray said he would only do his deal if David Wallace was not involved. Investors will come when incentives are offered period.
ReplyDeleteJoplin residents need to know before the election how much Mike Woolston paid for the properties he bought and then turned around and sold to the city. The investigator thought he should step down but the globe never reported the details of the real estate transactions. If you can do this before the election I will drop my subscription to the globe. The JRC should have a list of the properties.
ReplyDeleteSilver tongued Davey Two J's done sold this town a pig in a poke.
ReplyDelete