Placerville council approves $59,450 to fund plans to remove scaffolding, stabilize Old City Hall

The Placerville City Council on Oct. 14 approved a second amendment to the city’s agreement with Architectural Nexus to develop construction documents to remove exterior scaffolding and stabilize Old City Hall, a step staff said is required before the building can receive a new roof and interior tenant work.

City staff presented the contract amendment as a targeted design package costing $59,450 to be funded from the general fund unassigned balance. “The second amendment to the agreement before you tonight will provide construction documents to stabilize the building to the point that the scaffolding can be removed,” city staff member Greg Warren told the council, adding that the work is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under Guideline section 15301(d) for existing facilities.

Council packet materials and staff said the initial contract with Architectural Nexus (also referenced as ArchNexus) began Jan. 25, 2024, and produced materials testing and construction documents that were completed in August 2025. Staff said the earlier plans did not provide for removal of the scaffolding; the amendment will add design details to allow an alternative exterior stabilization so the temporary shoring can come down.

Why it matters: Council and public speakers said removing the scaffolding is necessary to make interior spaces usable and to permit a new roof, which they described as the critical next step to stop ongoing water intrusion and mold. Several residents and preservation advocates urged caution about cost and transparency; engineers and the city building official described the work as a regulated sequence needed to make the unreinforced masonry building safe for occupancy.

What council heard: Victor Burbank, representing Architectural Nexus, told the council, “The facility as it is right now, is in unsafe condition, and it can't be fixed by having a bricklayer go in and put in new brick.” He said the west wall was “bowing out” and that repairs to unreinforced masonry must follow code and permit processes.

Greg Horstfall, city building official, described the current scaffolding as deteriorating and said temporary shoring had led to occupancy being revoked in the past. Horstfall explained the design approach the amendment will produce: a new interior framed wall that would carry loads independently of the compromised brick masonry and allow removal of external scaffolding. “That is accurate and option number 1 from the Burn report,” Horstfall said when a councilmember summarized the interior wall approach.

Public comment: Dozens of residents spoke during the item. Sue Rodman, a Placerville resident and longtime preservation advocate, asked whether the buildings were currently stable and whether removal of scaffolding had been part of earlier contracts. “Is Old City Hall and the Confidence Buildings currently stable?” she asked. Several commenters urged the council to prioritize spending, questioned the project's previous expenditures, and suggested alternative approaches such as hiring specialist historic masons.

Scope and next steps: Staff said the amendment will deliver architectural and structural drawings and details needed for permit review; it does not include a formal construction cost estimate or the construction contract. Architectural Nexus confirmed the drawings will enable contractors or estimators to price the work, and staff said the design work should take about two to three months. The council and staff stressed the need to be “thrifty” in later construction phases.

Vote and outcome: A council motion to approve staff's recommendation passed on a roll-call vote. Council members and staff asked ArchNexus and the structural engineer to include the existing interior shoring in the design package so the city can move to immediate critical repairs — notably a roof replacement — once plans and permits are in hand.

Context and history: The council packet and several public speakers referenced a 2015 Burn Engineering report that provided retrofit options for the building and noted that the scaffolding has been in place for several years. Speakers said earlier stabilization options had been discussed in prior years and that arts-and-culture fundraising has been tied to reuse plans. Staff emphasized that the current amendment is intended to produce the documents necessary to safely remove scaffolding and enable the roof work that will protect the building from further water damage.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinance/resolution/contract: Second amendment to Architectural Nexus agreement for Old City Hall stabilization — approved (motion passed on roll-call vote). Funding: $59,450 appropriation from the general fund unassigned fund balance; work estimated at two to three months; CEQA exemption cited: Guidelines section 15301(d) (existing facilities). - Executive session item: Council concluded a closed-session review of a complaint alleging a Brown Act violation and determined a Brown Act violation had not occurred; council voted on the conclusion and decided not to reconvene the contested meeting. The council record shows disagreement over remedy: some members voted to redo the meeting while others voted to take no further action. - Consent calendar adoption and procedural motions during the meeting — adopted by roll call earlier in the meeting.

What remains unresolved: Staff and consultants said the design package will not include a formal contractor cost estimate; the city or arts-and-culture partners will need to secure construction funding and a construction contract after permit approval. Public speakers asked for clearer accounting of prior expenditures and for the city to explore historic masonry repair options; several offered to assist with fundraising and volunteer help.

The council set its next regular meeting for Oct. 28, 2025.