John Gaccione

Date: 02/13/2023
Subject: Remodeling the Remodel
From: The Memo Desk

You can bet your bottom dollar there will be some hootin’ and hollerin’ about the Public Safety Building remodel project at the next Kensington Fire Protection District meeting.

On the meeting agenda for discussion is an item titled “Errors in the Watt Presentation on Proposed Alternatives for the Renovation of the Kensington Public Safety Building” submitted by Fire Board Directors Don Dommer and Larry Nagel.

The report is a critique of the various Save Kensington’s Future attempts at housing the police and fire departments in the remodeled PSB. Listing each shortcoming of the Jim Watt and Bart Jones layouts, the report cites chapter and verse of code requirements not met and plan reviews not included by the Fire and Police Chiefs. It also raises concerns about revising the existing plan under construction with respect to requiring revised construction documents, new bids and new permits. All time consuming and potentially very expensive.

Of course, as we all know the decision to continue to house the Police and Fire Departments in the PSB come hell or high water was made many years ago by just a handful of folks. Some of these folks now refer to themselves as the Save Kensington’s Future Steering Committee. Over the years they have been working diligently to provide reasons why it is such a worthy idea.

To make their case, the self proclaimed “Thought Leaders” have even claimed that since the police and fire departments have been in the PSB for years, there is no reason to change now. Anyone remember the dubious Taj Mahal comparison? (Harrumph…)

As the SKF folks keep reminding us, they claim they have been given a mandate by the voters to put their SKF policies in place. They continue to reference the 800+ folks who signed their petition as a further example of community support, even though the petition remains unverified. And the SKF’s campaign was focused on the fear that the police would be located in the park in Building E, and it would no longer be used as the recreational facility. Old news.

To borrow a phrase from one local Kensington sage, “…grab your socks folks, it is too late to save your shoes.” Amen brother!

“Bad ideas flourish because they are in the interest of powerful groups.” (Paul Krugman)

Note: Satire alert, this post was not approved by the SKF Steering Committee.