Council asks staff to study HVAC replacement or repurposing of city hall after RCE assessment

Public Works Director Heather Thomas presented a facilities and HVAC study for the city hall building at 24 North Center Street that identified aging systems and shortcomings: a steam boiler (installed 1995) with roughly 61% efficiency, cooling capacity largely over 50 years old, limited ventilation air for code‑recommended indoor air quality, and window/door deficiencies.

RCE offered three retrofit options: installing a dedicated steam boiler (~$217,000), replacing cooling systems with a cool/heat forced‑air solution (~$382,000), or adding heat pumps with improved efficiency (~$522,000). Thomas noted additional near‑term window/door and vestibule improvements could add about $300,000 over five years.

Councilors discussed an alternative long‑term option (referred to in the meeting as "option four") that would pursue a plan to relocate staff and explore repurposing or selling the underutilized building. Council gave staff direction to return with a plan including operational cost data, timelines for records digitization, and estimates for relocation and capital work.

"We probably are only using about a quarter of them for actual staff office needs," Thomas said of the building's occupied space, and she said staff will examine operational costs and coordinate with department directors on potential relocation steps. Several public commenters urged preservation of the historic building and asked staff to consider community benefit when weighing options.

No binding decision to sell or to replace HVAC was made; council requested further analysis and a plan to be presented to the council for decision.