At a recent Comprehensive Plan Update meeting, committee members ask why Council and Staff were discussing the need for repairs, renovations, or a new Town Hall. While discussion of Town Hall is not at the level of priorities as hurricane Helene repairs, edge of roadway or return to extensive road repairs, Council must always look further down the road. The Comprehensive Plan for example is a 10 to 20 year look forward.

Many of you are aware of our deficiencies:

• Conference room limited capacity of thirty-eight.
• Inadequate communal room for presentations, speakers and HOAs.
• Inadequate capacity for police evidence storage and firearms.
• Insufficient circulation.
• Lack of public restrooms.
• Lack of offices for Council and Mayor.
• Lack of employee lockers, especially police.
• Lack of privacy for clerks and zoning.
• Evidence of mold and lead.
• Deteriorating interior and exterior.
• Continued maintenance expense.
• Detrimental to efficiency of staff, police, and residents.

A plan needs to be in place to eventually deal with these issues. Laurel Park moved to this current location from a one room office on Main Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. This office served the Town when the population was about four hundred. When George Knoff was Mayor, the Town office moved to its current location about 1984. At that time, the building was a house. My brother, Bill, was a resident and local architect. He volunteered his services to make the house as reasonably close to an office as possible. Eventually the garage was turned into a conference room to be used for Council meetings. Until 2009, this room was concrete floor with empty walls. Paul Hansen, George Banta, and I renovated this room including wainscot, trim, cabinets, electrical, fixtures, carpet, and pictures. We have always worked within our means. This building is much like everyone’s first house. At some point, you realize that you need a renovation or new home to accommodate your expanded family and better meet your needs. As we deal with our critical, immediate needs we must figure out: What, Where, When and How we solve this problem.

If you have experience in architecture, planning, real estate, or design please contact us to establish and join a study committee to rigorously evaluate our options.