Director Schultz: A25 civic center likely to begin commissioning around April 17

Senior Director Schultz said the new A25 civic center "looks fantastic" and that staff are verifying generator and UPS circuits and finishing punch-list work, adding that "it looks like we'd be able to start commissioning the building on or around April 17." He presented interior and exterior photos showing the Civic Center signage, senior center access, Council Chambers entrance and preliminary landscaping.

The update gave councilors a timeline and raised operational questions about meeting scheduling. Schultz said the administration will not host the first council meeting in the new chambers until AV systems and the required electrical inspection are complete and the clerks and staff are trained: "we won't shoot you from the hip on that first meeting from council chambers. We'll make sure that we are prepared and ready to go."

Councilors asked how the April and May meeting schedule might be affected if the move slips; administration suggested keeping the published calendar and canceling any extra meetings if they are unnecessary, and confirmed there would be at least one Committee of the Whole at the end of April if needed. Staff also committed to arranging tours for council and to overlap training so clerks and technicians are ready for the first meeting in the new space.

Why this matters: the timeline affects when council and public meetings will move into the new space, when scheduled committee work will be held, and when staff training and final inspections must be completed. Administratively, the city said it will only transition meetings once technology and safety checks are verified.

Looking ahead: staff will provide updated scheduling information as the April commissioning window approaches and will coordinate AV/electrical inspections and training prior to scheduling the first official meeting in the new Council Chambers.