Irmo council approves first reading to authorize nearly $5.9 million for new town hall

The Town of Irmo Town Council on March 18 approved on first reading an ordinance authorizing a $5,898,000.939 budget for design, construction and related expenditures for a new town hall.

The ordinance, introduced by town staff as ordinance 2504, was presented by Courtney, a town staff member, who said the council previously authorized a $300,000 design phase and that Jumper Carter and Sees are working on design. "What this ordinance does is, authorizes the $5,800,000 budget, makes us stick to that budget, and gives us authority, to pull the funds needed to pay for the project out of general fund, capital improvement funds, those grants that we have, state and federal grants, and also able to delegate the project management, to LCK," Courtney said.

Council members voted by roll call to approve the ordinance on first reading. The vote recorded each council member as voting yes.

Council discussion during the meeting focused on confirming that the ordinance would allow staff to proceed beyond the design phase and that previously authorized funds covered the initial design work. Courtney also noted that LCK would be delegated project management if the ordinance is adopted.

Courtney said the $300,000 design phase has already been authorized and paid to the design team. The ordinance text presented at the meeting sets the total budget at $5,898,000.939 and lists general fund, capital improvement funds and state and federal grants as funding sources; the town clerk called the roll after the discussion and recorded unanimous approval on the first reading.

The item was recorded as a first reading of ordinance 2504; further procedural steps for formal adoption were not described during the meeting.