Staff recommend two options for new town hall
By Phillip Greenfield Express Staff

A Georgian Highlands' management report has recommended the new municipality's office be located either in an expanded St. Vincent township building or a combination of the present township office and the Meaford Public Utilities Commission (PUC) office.

The report, prepared at the request of the Transition Board, outlines five alternatives to house the administration office including, the municipal offices of Sydenham, St. Vincent and Meaford as well as the Meaford P.U.C. building and a vacant office building in central Meaford.

Chris Webb, Georgian Highlands Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Chief Building Official (CBO) John Acres, presented the report, which included the initial cost of preparing the buildings for office use, at the Transition Board's last regular meeting.

Webb told the Transition Board that site would need to be at least 8000 sq. feet to contain all the desired functions at a single location and that using an existing building would be more cost effective because land acquisition costs would be avoided.

The report rejected Meaford's historic Town Hall because it would require major renovations costing up to $1.5 million. The Sydenham office was also rejected because of its small size and location.

Webb also recommended the former Amerock building be dropped from the list of preferred sites because it would cost $750,000 to purchase and renovate.

"Public access, parking and municipal services would not be a problem at the vacant offices in Meaford," said Webb, adding a lease option would "eliminate the initial capital expenditure."

It would still have the highest purchase cost and industrial activity in the connected former manufacturing led the management team to drop it from the list.

The Meaford P.U.C. office was not considered in a previous report on the location of the new municipal offices prepared Owenson Consulting.

The report suggests locating the CAO, clerk and treasury offices, utilities billing, planning and bylaw enforcement offices in this downtown location, while putting the council chambers and operations centre (public works, recreation, etc) in the St. Vincent office.

"While not ideal, this is the most cost-effective solution," said Webb.

Accommodation in this building could be achieved quickly and walk-in access is a plus. The existing structure lends itself to easy renovation and the estimated cost for this facility's upgrading is approximately $160,000.

The original Owenson report stated that "the St. Vincent office is the best site" to locate all municipal management.

It reasoned that St. Vincent's office is central to Georgian Highlands population, but an extensive addition, as well as sewage service extension and watermain installation would be a primary cost for this choice. Short-term solutions could be simply upgrading the water and septic capacity on site.

An addition of 4800 sq. feet, together with modifications to the existing sand/salt storage building would cost around $280,000, according to Domm Ltd.

Webb ended the report with two recommendations for the Transition Board to consider.

"In terms of centralizing all management staff and administrative functions, including local governance and public access, expanding the present St. Vincent municipal office would be a preferred alternative," said Webb.

"With respect to cost, municipal service access, public convenience (walk-in access), and allowing future flexibility for the municipality, renovating the Meaford PUC office and shop would be the preferred alternative."