Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Trustees see plans for new village hall

T.S. Last El Defensor Chieftain General Manager, tslast@dchieftain.com

The Magdalena Board of Trustees got a glimpse of its future home when Mayor Jim Wolfe provided a progress report on the new village hall during the board's regular meeting Monday.

Phase I of the Municipal Building is to be funded primarily through a $574,000 legislative grant with the village kicking in $50,000.

"The plans are almost complete," Wolfe told the board. He added that the height of the walls in the council chambers was still a hang up.

The plans currently call for 15-foot walls with an additional 5-foot pitch in the roof. Wolfe said he's asking the architect, WHPacific Inc., to at least reduce the roof's pitch a few feet.

Wolfe said he thought 15-foot walls were pretty high, and noted that the rest of the building would have 8-1/2-foot walls.

Trustee Barbara Baca said it would be less expensive to heat and cool the building with a lower ceiling, and Wolfe agreed.

"It's costing us too much money," he said.

Cost concerns will also prevent a porch roof from extending the entire width of the building, which will face west and be located just north of the present village hall.

"Maybe someday we can add a porch (roof) all the way across the front, but we have to go with what we have the money for," Wolfe said.

The mayor said the architect wanted a pitched roof and corbels supporting the overhang to emulate the building that has been serving as the village hall for more than 30 years.

Wolfe also showed the board and about a dozen audience members the floor plan of the building. It would include two bathrooms near the front entrance and the large council chambers, which will have exposed beams across the ceiling.

The rest of the building includes a large office area for village administrators, a smaller 12-by-20-foot room for public works employees, an even smaller conference room and two storage areas.

Once the final details are worked out, Wolfe said the village would be able to seek bids from contractors.

"Hopefully in a couple of weeks we'll be ready to advertise it," he said.

Wolfe said WHPacific was also serving as consultant for the addition to the firehouse.

"We'll probably go out for bid in a couple weeks with that one too," he said.

Wolfe said he met with consultants on other projects, as well. He visited with advisers regarding a drainage management plan and hoped to have a proposal to present the board at its next meeting Monday, Sept. 8.

Wolfe said inspectors were in town last week to evaluate conditions at the old BIA dorms. He'd like for the village to be able to apply for a grant for abatement of the property.

In other business: