Janesville City Council members question Tallman repair expense
JANESVILLE — Several city council members are questioning why the city spent $9,000 on repairs to the Tallman House before a study session to consider the home’s future later this month.
City Manager Eric Levitt included information on the repairs to the privy wall foundation in an e-mail to city council members and members of the media.
The e-mail was only intended to update council members as they prepare for a Thursday, Aug. 27, study session on the Tallman House, Levitt said.
Community Development Director Brad Cantrell wrote that the repair was designated as “immediate” in the report issued earlier this year on the Tallman House.
Gilbank Construction could perform the job for $9,000, lower than the original $32,000 estimate.
The money would come from funds borrowed for tuck-pointing in 2006, Cantrell wrote.
Council member Frank Perrotto was the first to question whether the project should wait until after the study session.
“I don’t care whether it was approved previously. To me it may be like throwing good money after bad,” he wrote.
Council members Tom McDonald and George Brunner also questioned whether the repairs could be put off until after the session.
The house needs more than $2 million in repairs including replacement of its roof and gutters, according to a report finalized in April.
Levitt said the privy wall foundation repair was necessary to continue running the Tallman House as city officials consider its future.
“Within the scope of a $2.4 million estimate (of repairs to the home), I didn’t see $9,000 as an issue, especially considering the fact the city owns the Tallman House and one of my jobs is maintaining the facilities we own,” he said.
Aug 18, 2009 at 9:30 a.m.
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Certain members of the city council need to realize they were elected for the big picture and not to micromanage daily operations. If they want to question every expense they should have applied for the city manager themselves. Good job Mr. Levitt!
Aug 18, 2009 at 7:52 a.m.
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Good job, Mr. Levitt. You made the right decision. Smaller investments now help prevent the $2 million bill that we saw in the report. It should be noted, as well, that the Tallman house does not need $2 million in repairs all at once, but that certain projects are more of a priority...if you don't take care of those, the overall cost of repairing and maintaining this architectural jewel will far EXCEED $2 million.
Aug 18, 2009 at 7:39 a.m.
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Thank you, Mr Levitt. Applause, applause. Those who would rather neglect, ignore, and forget, doom their own future. Janesville has a rich and colorful history that not only needs to be properly maintained and preserved but also honored and utilized to the benefit of the entire community and its future.
Aug 17, 2009 at 10:52 p.m.
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SkyBlue62, that's strictly an urban legend. There is a brick sewer. When excavated in the 1970s it proved to be about six inches across.
Aug 17, 2009 at 9:57 p.m.
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that reminds me, isn't there a closed off tunnel from the old Gray's Brewery by the railroad tracks, to the Tallman house? maybe that could be of some future use for the Tallman Tap <wink wink nudge nudge>
Aug 17, 2009 at 9:29 p.m.
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The rednecks we have running this city will want to turn this into a tavern, the Tallman Tap.
Aug 17, 2009 at 7:16 p.m.
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Great job Eric Levitt - taking care of what we already have! Council should pay attention - stop talking about ridiculous expenditures like a children's museum & bike tunnel.
Aug 17, 2009 at 6:36 p.m.
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I agree with the city manager on this issue: The repairs needed to be done immediately and $9,000 was not a large expense. I can't help but wonder if the council members raising a stink are doing it more for appearances sake than anything else.
Aug 17, 2009 at 5:09 p.m.
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This was a necessary and immediate repair. Unless Perotto supports the city either allowing the Tallman House to deteriorate to where it is more of a disgrace than it has ever been, or forcing the city's deed to be abrogated, then the statement "good money after bad" makes no sense. The problem is not repairs that were done incorrectly, the problem is repairs that were never done at all.
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