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It never fails that something else always comes up on budget night. This year we had to deal with the Monona Drive roundabout and have a closed session about Garden Circle.

On federal aids highway projects a review is done of all properties to identify potential historic properties. Nichols School is eligible for federal historic status. Consequently, encroachment upon any part of the Nichols School property would require a review by FHWA in Washington. That review would delay the project a year, could threaten our place in line for federal funding, and still might be rejected.

Too bad. The encroachment would be pretty minor and really would not harm any historic qualities Nichols School might possess. Nichols is the site of the first school in this area and dates from 1851, but the current building is the third one on that corner. This kind of stuff gives a bad name to a good law.

I think we will come to regret not having a roundabout as we experience more congestion and accidents at that interesection. By the way, the hwole cost issue was misleading. While the roundabout would cost more up front, it would produce measurable safety and delay benefits far in excess of those costs. You have to evaluate the benefits and not just the costs.

With respect to Garden Circle, I have to be a bit circumspect. It has been in the news that the developer for the site has gone 'toes up', moribund, kaput, out-of-dough. The buildings are owned by three different owners and most of the buildings are empty. The city is considering whether to make an offer to purchase the properties before they get 'rented up'.

The city has hired a new cable director, Andrew Hagen, a bright young guy with a lot of enthusiasm and ideas. He started a couple weeks ago. The new library director, Demita Gerber, a bright mature woman with a lot of enthusiasm, experience, and ideas starts next week. And interviews for a new city engineer are nearing completion.