Setting the 'Record Straight'
Editor:
Regarding Allison Edrington's letter (Mailbox, May 19), I would like to set the record straight on the two points she made.
The Eureka City Council voted unanimously to approve a letter to the Wiyot tribe on March 18, 2014, contrary to what she said in her letter.
On the issue of what happened to Jefferson School 12 years ago, it was primarily that with the ending of tax increment money (Redevelopment) the city did not have the resources to buy and gift the property to the (now) Westside Community Improvement Association and partner with them to restore the school as a community center. Prevailing wage alone made it unfeasible if it was to become a city project.
The project was initially proposed and studies done by College of the Redwoods, not the city of Eureka, and eventually neighbors strongly objected to their proposal, citing noise, light pollution and the desire for a community center there, not building CR's city annex.
As disappointing as the decision was initially to Heidi and the community group, in meetings with council she told us she had many grants just waiting in the wings to develop the community center. The extensive studies done by CR created the basis to buy and rehabilitate the school as a community center — the fiscally responsible way to get it into their hands and control.
The city supported and helped them move the project forward and the end result was that the Westside Community Improvement Association owns and controls the center outright, with their own board of directors and plans.
Marian Brady, Eureka
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