City officials urged to keep City Hall right where it is

NORWICH – Since 2004, city officials have debated the merits of relocating the current city offices to the third, and a portion of the first, floors of the nearby fire station – an estimated $436,000 proposal that did not sit well with the majority of those who attended last night’s meeting.
Approximately 30 city residents and officials gathered in the Common Council Chambers at City Court Tuesday for a public forum to discuss the proposed renovation versus relocation of City Hall offices, currently housed in the old train depot at One City Plaza.
Mike McCollough, a city resident for 26 years with “experience with historical renovations,” stated it’s the “responsibility of any community to take care of its historical structures,” and said he was “concerned with how the building would be used or renovated if not owned by the city.”
“Please consider very seriously keeping that building,” concluded McCollough said of the depot.
Of concern to most in attendance was the questionable accessibility of a third floor City Hall in the fire station, in addition to the fact that, if relocated, an empty train depot would still require renovations before it could be sold or leased.
City resident Ed Morano considered the proposed relocation a “sheer inconvenience,” and agreed with the general consensus that City Hall offices “do not belong in the fire house.”
Former Norwich Fire Chief Robert Handy concurred. “It was intended for that building to be renovated as a fire station, not City Hall, not offices,” said Handy, who commented local firefighters had already given up their meeting room, training room and recreation room.
“This is not about hurting the taxpayers,” he added.
Not everyone in attendance agreed with the general consensus against the move, however, and city resident Adam Spence, who questioned the amount of annual cost savings, stressed that city officials have a duty to save taxpayers’ money.
City Clerk and Finance Director William Roberts had previously reported that a move to the firehouse would save the city roughly $8,000 to $10,000 annually, and said neither renovations, costing approximately $400,000, nor relocation of City Hall offices would significantly impact the local tax levy, due to the city’s Building-Capital Projects and Capital Reserves.
According to Mayor Joe Maiurano, city officials in the last two years have “covered every base and any concerns with the move,” which included issues such as parking, traffic and overall costs.
“Our primary concern is serving the public in the best way possible,” stated the mayor. “Economically we would save some money by moving, but the consensus among people is that they like where we are and the building is a symbol of the city, it’s a historic site.”
The mayor also reported that several community members, unable to attend last night’s meeting, had written the Common Council, all expressing their desire to see City Hall remain at the old train depot.
“The overall consensus that I get is to stay where we are,” said Maiurano.
Following the public forum, the Common Council voted unanimously to place the topic on the agenda for the June 15 council meeting, to be held at 7 p.m. at One Court Plaza.

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