HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES NO 124-06
RESOLUTION NO. ~ 0 6
A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT FOR DOWNTOWN
BAKERSFIELD LOCATION FOR FEDERAL
COURTHOUSE AND URGING GENERAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION TO WORK WITH CITY OF
BAKERSFIELD AND DOWNTOWN PROPERTY OWNERS.
WHEREAS, the federal government approached the City of Bakersfield in 2003
with plans to locate a new courthouse in Bakersfield; and
WHEREAS, the City of Bakersfield identified potential properties in downtown
Bakersfield for the General Services Administration (GSA) and offered the City's and/or
Redevelopment Agency's help in assembling sites for the new courthouse, in keeping
with its prior established City Council goals of locating the Federal courthouse
downtown; and
WHEREAS, Executive Order 12072 requires federal agencies to give first
consideration and preference to central business areas in meeting federal space needs
in urban areas, to consider the management efficiencies to be gained by siting new
facilities near other government facilities, to impact the economic development and
employment opportunities in the urban area, to locate facilities in developments that
include other office or research facilities, and GSA guidelines promote the goals of
Executive Order 12072; and
WHEREAS, GSA's own guidelines promote the ideals of Executive Order 12072,
and to be a "good neighbor" to existing communities; and
WHEREAS, after reviewing potential downtown sites, GSA officials widened the
delineated search area to include sites outside the central business area in order to
ensure adequate competition in acquiring leased space; and
WHEREAS, the GSA did not inform the City of other sites under consideration in
order to get their input as to any site or community issues that may arise with their
selection, and whether they would meet City zoning or other development guidelines;
and
WHEREAS, the GSA awarded the courthouse bid to a site that is six miles from
the central business area, far from existing courts and other law enforcement facilities,
that has no other existing office buildings currently, is adjacent to residential
neighborhoods and an elementary school, which the City believes distinctly contradicts
the intent of Executive Order 12072, and the GSA's other bid specifications; and
WHEREAS, the GSA bypassed a qualified downtown bid which met all of GSA's
bid specifications and was at a lower cost than the bid selected, thus wasting taxpayer
dollars; and
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WHEREAS, in deference to objections by the City of Bakersfield and residents
surrounding the proposed courthouse site, the development firm of Castle & Cooke has
stated its willingness to withdraw from its agreement with GSA to build the courthouse
at the southwest Bakersfield location, to which the GSA has rejected this offer; and
WHEREAS, the bid selection process is now under protest review by the
Government Accountability Office of the federal government; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Bakersfield hereby:
1. Supports the location of the federal courthouse in downtown Bakersfield.
2. The Council urges the General Services Administration, downtown property
owners, and the City of Bakersfield to collaborate for the purposes of satisfying GSA
requirements and competitive issues to the fullest extent possible, thereby facilitating
the location of the federal courthouse in downtown Bakersfield.
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the
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by
C04[1ç,il of the City of Bakersfield at a regular meeting thereof held on
mAY 1 0 2006 by the following vote:
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ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBER CARSON, BENHAM, MAGGARD, COUCH, HANSON. SULLIVAN, SCRIVNER
COUNCILMEMBER
COUNCILMEMBER
COUNCILMEMBER
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PAMELA A. McCARTHY, C
CITY CLERK and Ex Officio lerk of the
Council of the City of Bakersfield
HARVEY L HALL
MAYOR of the City of Bakersfield
APPROVED as to form:
VIRGINIA GENN
City Attorney
By:
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