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<br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />TO: Mayor Keis and Members of City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Joel Hanson, City Administrator <br />DATE: June 3, 2016 <br /> <br />RE: Old Fire Hall Evaluation Committee Notes <br /> <br />The Old Fire Hall Evaluation Committee consisting of the members listed below met at the OFH on <br />Tuesday, May 10th. The committee was provided with background information discussed/reviewed by <br />the City Council earlier this year. They also toured the building, interior & exterior. <br /> <br />Committee Members: <br />• St. John’s Church – Kevin Hamernick <br />• Little Canada Historical Society – Don Gagne <br />• Little Canada Recreation Association – Jon Joriman <br />• Little Canada Fire Department – Chief Don Smiley (not able to attend due to last <br />minute conflict at work) <br />• Parks & Recreation Commission – Peter Schletty <br />• Planning Commission – Bill Buesing (architecture background) <br />• Citizen at Large – Dick Naughton (James Steele Construction) <br />• Citizen at Large – Dick Flipp (Brooks Avenue resident) <br />• City Council Member #1 – Mike McGraw <br />• City Council Member #2 – Tom Fischer <br />• Parks & Recreation Director – Jim Morelan <br />• Public Works Director – Bill Dircks <br />• City Administrator – Joel Hanson <br /> <br />The Committee reached the following consensus that serves as a recommendation to the City Council <br />as to future utilization of the building and planning for improvements: <br /> <br />• Rough estimates to make the upstairs usable for meeting space were between $200,000 and <br />$400,000 with some of the experts believing the cost would be closer to the $400,000 number. <br />This was based on the assumptions that demolition would be needed over the entire upper level, <br />new HVAC systems would be required given current space heating units, and extensive work <br />would be needed on the restrooms to make them ADA accessible (note: only one restroom <br />exists on the upper level). <br />• If community space is needed, (that was not necessarily the determination of this group, it <br />would be better to start from scratch than try to adapt a building that wasn’t built for that <br />purpose and that likely can’t comply with parking requirements. <br />• The existing building has value for storage purposes on the upper level and continued <br />community use on the lower level.