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Council leans toward phased City Hall improvements rather than immediate $12 million rebuild
Summary
Staff presented a phased six-step plan to refurbish City Hall rather than a $12 million new build. Council generally supported addressing urgent maintenance (skylights, HVAC, evidence room) and folding phases into the 2027–28 budget; final scope and timing will be refined in the budget process.
City staff presented a phased alternative to a full $12 million City Hall replacement, recommending phased renovations that prioritize urgent maintenance and defer a more substantial remodel to a later phase.
"We were not convinced we're going to be able to do that project for $12,000,000," staff said, reporting a facility evaluation that found no systemic failure but several items needing attention. Staff proposed six phases: phases 1–5 cover maintenance and safety items (skylights, HVAC, parking lot and utilities, evidence-room ventilation and cameras), and phase 6 would be a modest interior renovation requiring architect design work and a longer schedule (design and construction likely 18 months for the remodel components).
Council members debated the scope and cost. One councilmember urged not to "cheap out" on a long-lived refurbishment, recommending higher-quality work that could last decades. Staff estimated the combined near-term work would be included in the 2027–28 budget and said an architect selection and predesign could take several months; the remodel phase could be scheduled around 2029 depending on budget availability and design lead times.
Staff also suggested establishing a building replacement fund and an annual contribution to avoid a sudden large expenditure in future decades. The council expressed general consensus to proceed with staff's phased approach and to present specific phase budgets and timelines through the budget process; no project contracts were approved at the study session.
The council directed staff to return with detailed cost breakdowns, proposed timelines for phases, and contract documents as phases move toward implementation.
