MONROE - Consideration of security and accessibility improvements to City Hall ended quickly after Monroe Common Council members evaluated the upcoming budget woes Tuesday.
During council proceedings, Patrick McGowan of Madison-based McGowan Architecture LLC spoke about the possibility of remodeling the building, especially to ensure safer accessibility to council chambers while still allowing proper access to the building.
"There's not really a good clean way to divide the building," McGowan said.
Following upgrades to the facade of the building and an ongoing flooring project on the path to completion, council members asked whether former plans to improve the building could be evaluated once more. City Administrator Phil Rath said McGowan was invited to Monroe following the conjecture to provide feedback on the city's possible steps.
McGowan said the moving pieces of attempting to modernize the building would create some issues. He remarked on the location of the bathrooms, pointing out that in a newer municipal building those facilities would be in a more accessible, public space.
Currently, the back door of City Hall serves as the access point for those who require a wheelchair-accessible entrance and exit. Because of that, the front and back of the building needs to be unlocked to allow public access to Monroe council chambers. This creates a security problem, McGowan said.
"The idea of creating a more secure area makes sense, but the improvements you would have to do would cascade on one another," McGowan said.
A ramp could be added to the front of the building, allowing for a locked back door. But improvements could be expensive, Rath noted, especially during a time when the city has been planning to improve the outdated HVAC system in City Hall while juggling a large budget deficit, something council member Chris Beer pointed out.
"I guess I'll address the elephant in the room; where would the money come from?" Beer asked fellow aldermen. "Aren't we in a tight budget right now? I guess I'm not quite sure why we're having this discussion."
Alderman Tom Miller concurred but also questioned whether the energy savings plan to upgrade heating and cooling within the building was necessary.
"Why are we talking about spending half a million dollars on something that 'might' have a 10-year payback?" Miller said of the project.
Council members also seemed amenable to the idea of removing some of the more public departments meant to be operating out of City Hall. Alderman Michael Boyce said, "the easy solution would be to make it less of a public space."
Alderwoman Brooke Bauman, who indicated the system was currently operating in such a way due to the displacement of city staff, said improvements were impossible given current budget projections and proposed the issue be brought back for discussion next year before talks of the 2019 budget begins.
During council proceedings, Patrick McGowan of Madison-based McGowan Architecture LLC spoke about the possibility of remodeling the building, especially to ensure safer accessibility to council chambers while still allowing proper access to the building.
"There's not really a good clean way to divide the building," McGowan said.
Following upgrades to the facade of the building and an ongoing flooring project on the path to completion, council members asked whether former plans to improve the building could be evaluated once more. City Administrator Phil Rath said McGowan was invited to Monroe following the conjecture to provide feedback on the city's possible steps.
McGowan said the moving pieces of attempting to modernize the building would create some issues. He remarked on the location of the bathrooms, pointing out that in a newer municipal building those facilities would be in a more accessible, public space.
Currently, the back door of City Hall serves as the access point for those who require a wheelchair-accessible entrance and exit. Because of that, the front and back of the building needs to be unlocked to allow public access to Monroe council chambers. This creates a security problem, McGowan said.
"The idea of creating a more secure area makes sense, but the improvements you would have to do would cascade on one another," McGowan said.
A ramp could be added to the front of the building, allowing for a locked back door. But improvements could be expensive, Rath noted, especially during a time when the city has been planning to improve the outdated HVAC system in City Hall while juggling a large budget deficit, something council member Chris Beer pointed out.
"I guess I'll address the elephant in the room; where would the money come from?" Beer asked fellow aldermen. "Aren't we in a tight budget right now? I guess I'm not quite sure why we're having this discussion."
Alderman Tom Miller concurred but also questioned whether the energy savings plan to upgrade heating and cooling within the building was necessary.
"Why are we talking about spending half a million dollars on something that 'might' have a 10-year payback?" Miller said of the project.
Council members also seemed amenable to the idea of removing some of the more public departments meant to be operating out of City Hall. Alderman Michael Boyce said, "the easy solution would be to make it less of a public space."
Alderwoman Brooke Bauman, who indicated the system was currently operating in such a way due to the displacement of city staff, said improvements were impossible given current budget projections and proposed the issue be brought back for discussion next year before talks of the 2019 budget begins.