Council says new City Hall and park needed to meet safety, storage and long-term needs

Council members and staff said the municipal building has structural and operational shortcomings that justify planning for a new facility and park. Council Member Eric Jones, an architect by profession, said the present building does not meet current seismic and emergency-operations standards and that "renovation would cost more than constructing a new one," adding that retrofitting the building with piering had an $18 million estimate. The Council said selling two city properties and using construction-manager/general-contractor input in the design phase are steps to limit costs.

Council members emphasized planning for a facility meant to serve the community for decades: "This should be a new facility that would last 50 years plus," Council Member Jim Grover said. Council members also described evidence-storage and space constraints in police operations, fire suppression and subsidence issues in the existing building as drivers of the project. The tentative FY27 budget includes related bond funding assumptions but staff noted numbers will be refined; the Council adopted the tentative budget and will hold additional hearings per statutory requirements.