Loading ...[Audio] Where to Go? What to Do?
The Pine City Council held a special meeting Wednesday to discuss the future of city hall and the library.
The city has contemplated expanding the library for a couple years. Talks have heated up recently because of an anonymous donation that is promised to the library as long as the renovation project gets underway in the near future. The contribution is believed to be $200,000.
Earlier this month, the council considered keeping the library at its current location connected to city hall downtown, moving city hall elsewhere, and allowing the library to have the extra space. One place under consideration is the old county jail, which Pine County offered the city for $200,000. City Administrator Don Howard says the building needs mechanical system improvements and the roof needs fixing, which adds to the end cost. Parking is also a concern. There are 18 spots at the jail facility.
Mayor Jane Robbins says the main concern she is hearing from city residents is paying for the jail twice.
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Councilman Paul Janssen says he doesn’t think it city hall should have to move
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Council member Brian Scholin, who is also on the library board, said he thinks the library is in an ideal location downtown. He believes it needs to stay in a “pedestrian friendly” area, adding that more people, especially children, walk to the library than to city hall.
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The council also discussed the possibility of expanding the current city hall-library facility. City administrator Don Howard said a new city hall needs to be 10,000 to 15,000 square feet to meet the city’s needs. He said the costs of such an expansion is roughly $1.5 million.
A handful of city residents were on hand to give their input. Dale Teich encouraged the council to look at the best long term solutions.
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Council member Paul Miller says making multiples moves means construction of plans not only now, but for down the road, as well.
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The council discussed various buildings throughout the city as other possible locations for moving either city hall or the library. Council member Dylan Ascheman said, “Every place will have a pro and con to it.”
The council agreed to come to a decision on the county’s offer for the jail and also look at the cost of buying or leasing other available buildings at next month’s city council meeting, August 5th.