ALAMOSA — A movement asking the Alamosa City Council to reconsider its vote on the new city hall location is gaining momentum.

Petitions to that effect have already collected 500-600 signatures, with the goal of the group collecting them to reach 1,000 or more by the next city council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

The city council has voted to build a new city hall/library complex east of the existing city hall and remodel the current building to house police and fire departments.

Those asking the city to reconsider that decision are basing their arguments on several factors: costs; proximity to, and in, Cole Park; no room to expand; and not the best location for police and fire. Another concern is the removal of the chamber building from the Cole Park area to accommodate the new city hall complex.

Ruthie Brown, owner of one of the businesses where petitions are located, said the overwhelming factors are the money and “people don’t want the police and fire station down there, and there are options.” For example, some have suggested the police and fire departments should be located near the new water treatment plant.

Brown said petitioners will approach the city council on November 4 and ask if 1,000 signatures are enough to stop the council from proceeding with its plans or if more signatures will be required.

She said she expected the petitions to easily reach 1,000.

Petitions are located at the Alamosa senior center, Campus Cafe, Century 21 Valley Realty, Green Spot and L&M Auto. Individuals have also taken petitions out in the community to collect signatures.

During last week’s city council meeting Councilman Leland Romero said he was disturbed by the wording on the Green Spot marquee that says, “Save Cole Park - Sign Here.”

Romero said the petitions are misleading to ask people to save Cole Park because “we are not destroying Cole Park. We are making sure we are staying within our bounds.”

Brown responded during the meeting that she was not the one who started the “Save Cole Park” campaign but did “have the guts” to write a letter asking residents to petition the council to change its vote.

“It is America,” she said.

She told the council the petition “respectfully asks” that city council not place the proposed city hall complex on property in Cole Park proper or in the Cole Park vicinity.

“We are not against expanding the library, finding a home for the police department or moving the fire station, and we are not against making city hall ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] compliant,” Brown said.

Brown said the petitions are not being circulated and signed in a mean or hateful manner. “It’s just the people saying we want our say and ... can we afford it?”

Also related to the new city hall complex, Early Iron Club members asked the council last week to work with them to make next year’s Early Iron Festival one of the best, since it will be the 30th annual festival. They asked if construction on the new city hall complex would interfere with the festival next year because they expected a record crowd.

“We would like to be kept in the loop so we can be prepared when these guys start rolling in there,” said Early Iron Club President Jeff Woodward.

“The guys that come here bring their families. They come here because they know they are welcome. They love the setting. Very few shows you go to you get a setting like this. Some are on asphalt or gravel.”

Woodward told the council the rumor was out there that Cole Park would not be available for events like Early Iron in the future.

Woodward told the city council the festival could draw 500 cars next year, as many as Cole Park could accommodate. (The festival set a record with 406 cars this year.)

He said the 30th anniversary Early Iron Festival will also incorporate bands and other special attractions.

“We need to know we have got the facility to do it,” he said.

Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Roger, who conducted the city council meeting last week, said although the council had voted on the location, “there’s a lot to happen” before the city gets to the construction phase.

City Manager Nathan Cherpeski said, “I don’t think anybody ever said Cole Park wouldn’t be there.”

Rogers said the rumor about Cole Park not being usable for events like Early Iron was false, “absolutely not true.”

Woodward said Alamosa has always been accommodating to Early Iron with law enforcement, city staff and community members, many of whom volunteer each year to help produce the festival.

“If we can be your partners, that’s where we want to be,” he said.

Rogers said Early Iron has been a good partner with the city and has been beneficial to the city.

“You can count on us to be good partners,” she said.

Woodward said the economic impact of this year’s festival to Alamosa alone was estimated at more than $493,200, and with a bigger festival next year the estimated economic impact is nearly $596,000.

“That’s direct cash in the tills that weekend,” said Early Iron Club Member Mike Wisdom.