“What should have been done was not done”

What’s past is past, but two Seneca officials implored a crowd of Adams subdivision residents and others last night that they want to work together to find a satisfactory resolution as to what becomes of the former Kellett Elementary building and property. In ways made clearer than before, Seneca’s utilities director said no longer is the building and property being considered for the utilities complex that residents do not want in their neighborhood. Utilities superintendent Bob Faires first made that declaration last night as he spoke to a meeting of the Kellett project committee during a tour of the former school building. Nicole Poluzzi, one of the leaders of the opposition group, had an immediate reaction of surprise, but pleased to hear what Faires said. And, as the walking tour proceeded down a hallway of the former school building, 96.3/WGOG NEWS followed up with Faires on what the utilities superintendent had just promised. “We have $2.5 million approved by bond that we have got to do something with it to upgrade lour facilities. That upgrade will just not be happening here, so we have to figure out what to do and where to go,” Fair told us. Later, when the committee of city leaders and Adams subdivision residents, took their seats in a conference room the conversation turned to the many possibilities for which the building and property could be put to a use satisfactory to those who live in the area. Councilman Scott Durham said while the utilities complex is off the table, there are still many possibilities. Committee member Grant Cunningham said the city should have developed a public participation process at the time it started to plan the ill-fated utilities complex on the Kellett property.