Galesburg Aldermen Monday approved acquiring Churchill Junior High from District 205 but weren’t ready to approve a professional service agreement that would create a community center master plan.
Jaclyn Smith-Esters said she thinks the city should pause to do more homework before approving a $20,000 agreement.
She suggested this study may not be necessary because research on the needs of the community has been gauged through processes Galesburg on Track.
Alderman Larry Cox clarified this is not a needs study, meaning it won’t gauge what programs or facilities city residents would need or like to have.
City Manager Todd Thompson says the council will have to do a study like this either now or later unless the city moves into the building as it is.
“This is the work you need to do before you make a final decision on whether or not to spend money,” Thompson says.
Mayor Schwartzman suggested that the time before Farnsworth’s study do some homework on what they want to see in a community center.
He also suggested a trip to the Recharge Teen Center in Monmouth.
Thompson described this as being similar to any process an owner of a building would go through with an architect.
