Open, listening minds required in city hall debate

Last week’s Newport Beach City Council decision to give a proposed city hall plan a look is going to cost the city money. There’s no doubt about it: The delay in moving forward with planned construction and a possible move of staff will raise the price tag a bit. When the council finally has made its decision, city leaders shouldn’t be afraid to say just how much the month-long delay cost taxpayers.

But we suspect it will be money well spent.

Of course, cities should not be in the habit of throwing money away ? doing so in fiscally conservative Newport Beach might even be a kiss of death. But opening the doors of government and letting residents (and taxpayers) see how and why important decisions are made is worth a great deal, especially when the issue will cost the city $40 million or more. A few thousand dollars compared with those millions seems worth having residents satisfied that the best spot was chosen.

But satisfying residents may not be an easy task. If the council quickly shrugs off architect Bill Ficker’s proposal to build a modest city hall on land in Newport Center above the Central Library, the whole process might come across as a simple political move. The council should not just be looking to placate the people who are agitating for Ficker’s plan, which would replace a long-planned park with the halls of civic government. Their minds should not already be made up.

That, indeed, would be a waste of taxpayer money.

By deciding to consider Ficker’s proposal, members of the council are obligated to keep an open mind and weigh this new proposal against the plan to build a new city hall where the old one now stands. They should listen to advocates on both sides. They should listen to their neighbors and constituents between now and the end of the month, when they are scheduled to vote on where the new city hall should be.

And after they have listened (and we encourage everyone to get a hold of a council member and say what you think), they should vote on the plan they think best serves the city and its residents.

That’s what they are paid to do. And even though it’s just hundreds of dollars a month, it would be a shame if that money were not well spent.