By Adam Rollins, Record Staff Writer
An update on plans for Wright City’s new city hall was delivered to the board of aldermen last Thursday night.The new government building will be located at the former Assembly of God Church at 636 Westwoods Road. Cochran and architectural firm JEMA are designing site plans for the building and an adjacent baseball park.A design for the exterior finish of the building was approved by board members at a planning meeting held Jan. 3. Board members also expressed approval for a preliminary design of their new meeting chamber, which is much larger than their current space.At the time, Kurt Daniels, with Cochran, expressed concern that the church’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) units had not been used in some time and might not work properly. When he delivered his latest update Thursday, Daniels said a contractor had examined the building’s HVAC units and recommended replacing them because of their age.That might not happen, though, because the building’s furnace and heating functions are working properly, City Treasurer Karen Girondo said. It remains to be seen whether the air conditioning will operate correctly once the weather warms, she said.The Wright City government is moving into the new building to alleviate crowding in its current city hall. The current building will be dedicated entirely to the Wright City Police Department.Daniels’ update included a new security feature that has been approved for both buildings. Electrified door hardware would require special badges to access the building through a locked door. The technology only requires a badge to be held in proximity to a door scanner to unlock the door.The budget for the new city hall, a park with two baseball fields and a concession stand, will be stretched thin to cover everything the city wants, Daniels previously told the board of aldermen. Having everything to create a government building the city can be proud of might mean putting off constructing the concession stand or other portions of the outdoor facilities, Daniels said. Those items could be put out to bid separately and small jobs could be handled by city employees, he said.A site plan for the city hall is expected to go before the Wright City Planning and Zoning Committee in February, Girondo said.The new building and renovations are being paid for with revenue from a $1.5 million bond issue that voters passed in April to alleviate crowding in city buildings and provide more park spaces. The 10,000-square-foot church building and attached 4.5-acre property were purchased in September for $320,000.The Wright City Board of Aldermen holds public meetings the second and fourth Thursday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at Wright City Hall. Its next meeting is Feb. 9.The former Assembly of God Church in Wright City will be converted into a new city hall thanks to a $1.5 million bond issue voters passed in April. A baseball facility is planned adjacent to the building, but engineers say the budget will be stretched to get everything the city wants. Record photo.
