The city my wife and I now call home today took a major step forward with a wind-swept ceremony welcoming the opening of its new municipal complex.
Princeton, Texas, has for a few weeks been operating its city government out of a shiny new complex just east of Princeton High School on the north side of U.S. Highway 380.
They cut a ribbon today, listened to some music from a local band, and served some finger food and assorted treats to those of us who came to the event.
It’s a big deal! Check that … it’s a very big deal!
As City Manager Derek Borg noted, the city moved from its cramped 3,400-square foot city building on Main Street into a rented site on U.S. 380 about two decades ago. Then a landowner donated some property to the city, which then floated some certificates of obligation to pay for construction of what they unveiled officially today.
The complex today comprises about 60,000 square feet — or about 20 times the size of the Main Street office. It will serve the city “for decades to come,” Borg said.
To be clear, they aren’t yet finished putting all the finishing touches on the property surrounding the complex. They’re still laying down sod and are sweeping the dirt off the paved walkways around the wetland next to City Hall.
I just have to tell you, though, that the new complex is beaut.
Mayor Brianna Chacon and Borg both have stipulated that the city hall design featuring lots of glass is meant to symbolize the city’s intent to govern in a “transparent” fashion. Given that I still am new to Princeton, and I lack institutional knowledge of how the city has run until now, I will withhold comment on Princeton’s governmental history.
However, I will offer a word of hope that the symbolism expressed by the design of the municipal complex translates to actual transparency as the city spends the investment we taxpayers are making.