SCV Reader March 2016

March 2016 THE Reader • 5
Laemmle
continued from page 3
Boydston said his plan, which would include
the mixed use buildings, would cost a
total of $1.6 million instead of $18.6 million.
He said the city would recoup its investment
in 11 years instead of 97 years.
He said the savings could be used for projects
across the city for seniors, parks, libraries
and hospitals, sheriff’s facilities, and
road projects such as a planned $38 million
extension of Via Princessa.
‘Wrap it up’
The length of Boydston’s detailed counterproposal
occasionally irked Mayor Bob Kellar.
“We try to adhere to a rule that we complete
our meetings no later than 11 p.m., and
your fellow council members have had no opportunity
to weigh in on this,” Kellar said.
“And I just respectfully ask that you have respect
for your fellow council members, and
try to wrap up and be more concise with your
questions, with maybe a little less dialogue,
so that we can move forward.”
Toward the end of a roughly hour-long
pitch by Boydston, Kellar interposed again to
say:
“Mr. Boydston, I’m going to respectfully ask
that we go and give our fellow council members
an opportunity, and not monopolize the
entire time.”
And a bit later:
“Sir, wrap it up in five minutes…we’ve got
to be responsible in how we conduct these
meetings.”
To the defense
Acosta said there is a pressing need for the
additional parking that the parking structure
will provide. He said the retail spaces, anchored
by the movie theater, will help revitalize
the area.
“I love how we want to go back to 1985
and build strip malls again, with no anchor
tenant, no economic partner, no financial
analysis by any professionals, nothing,”
Acosta chided Boydston.
Acosta said the cost of the parking garage
“gives me heartburn. It really does. But if you
think that’s expensive, you wait 10 years until
we absolutely have to build a parking structure
down in Old Town Newhall, and see how
much that costs.”
On the subject of the city subsidy to
Laemmle, Acosta said the city spent money
— $567,000 at current value — to help the
Canyon Theatre Guild relocate to the area.
Boydston is the Canyon Theatre Guild’s executive
director.
Timing
Boydston said he made his last-minute
pitch to the council after he was prevented
from raising his objections at an earlier council
meeting.
At that meeting, City Attorney Joe Montes
advised that Boydston might have had a conflict
of interest because the Canyon Theatre
Guild is located near the project site.
Montes had sought the advice of the state
Fair Political Practices Commission, which
did not come in time for that council meeting.
See Laemlee, page 16