Post Falls hall may go to vote

A grass-roots initiative to save Post Falls’ old city hall from the wrecking ball appears to be heading for the Nov. 6 ballot.

“We have more than 500 names, and we only need 264 (signatures) to be certified,” said Bob Templin, who’s spearheading a petition drive that could give voters the ultimate say in the matter.

Templin, a longtime community business leader and founder of Red Lion Templin’s Hotel on the River, said so many residents expressed interest in preserving the 7,500-square-foot building that he agreed to coordinate the formal appeal.

If enough signatures from registered voters are verified, citizens will be able to vote on whether the old building should be saved. A majority “yes” vote would require the city to “preserve and maintain” the 1979-era masonry block structure and make it “available for the benefit and use of the public.”

A new, larger, two-story city hall building is going up within yards of the old one, which has been slated for demolition.

The city last month reiterated its rationale for deciding to demolish the building: It couldn’t attract new tenants. Repairing and maintaining the aging, leaky structure would be a financial burden, and taxes can’t be raised to pay for it, city officials said.

In addition, the site is now graded in such a way that rain and snowmelt will wash toward the old building, City Council members said.

But Templin believes the city is exaggerating cost estimates to fix and keep the building. He said the structure is still serviceable, enjoys a prime location and is large enough to make it a desirable gathering place.

“There (would) need to be some tweaking of swales and parking spaces … but I’d rather see it used for community efforts,” Templin said.