A 30-second display resembling a reality show played out at Wright City Hall as Jim Schuchmann stood before the board of aldermen holding a disposable filter mask.Looks of concern or resignation crossed the faces of the seated aldermen and mayor, who feared the bad news that asbestos might have been found in what will be the new city hall.Then, Schuchmann tossed the mask away.“We don’t need it,” he said, smiling, to a short cheer from the rest of the room.“We are asbestos free,” continued Schuchmann, the project manager for a renovation that will turn the former Assembly of God Church into Wright City’s new government building. He addressed the board of aldermen during its regular meeting Thursday, June 8.In fact, Schuchmann said a hazardous materials survey the city commissioned at the building indicated no sources of concern at all. The city had hired Environment Operations Inc. to do the survey of the church building at 636 Westwoods Road. Schuchmann said it was a precautionary step, because the building was constructed in the 1980s.Being able to reassure contractors that they won’t have to do any asbestos abatement could result in lower cost estimates when the city puts the project out for a second round of contractor bids. The first three bids received by the city all were rejected because they exceeded the city’s $1 million budget. Schuchmann said the uncertainty about what contractors would find when they tear into the walls of the building likely contributed to the high bids.Schuchmann said the next step is to disconnect and drain the refrigerant out of three nonfunctioning air conditioning units at the site. The units probably date back to the construction of the building, he said.“One of those units came on, I could hear the compressor running, but it was not cooling inside the building,” Schuchmann said.He said the city might not have to replace all three units because current heating and air conditioning systems are more efficient, and could possibly be just as effective with one fewer unit.City workers also continue to open walls at the building, looking for any issues that do or do not need to be addressed when the project eventually goes back out for bids.The construction and renovations will be paid for by a $1.5 million bond issue approved by voters in April to alleviate crowding in government offices and provide more park space. The 10,000-square-foot Assembly of God Church building and attached 4.5-acre property were purchased in September for $320,000.Updates on the projects frequently are included during Wright City Board of Aldermen meetings. The board holds public meetings the second and fourth Thursday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at Wright City Hall.

File photo.