Organization, consolidation are key benefits for city staff
McCOOK, Nebraska -- City Manager Kurt Fritsch told the City Council during its Aug. 16 semi-monthly meeting at Memorial Auditorium, that having everything in one location would be much more organized and consistent.
Fritsch was recapping an updated floorplan presentation to the City Council regarding the proposed Municipal Facility to house city administration as well as police and fire departments.
Fritsch also said that it would be a great benefit to have staff offices grouped by departments and all department heads under one roof. Currently the Utility Director, Jesse Dutcher, shares his office with the water repair crews at the Water Shop located at 111 South Street. Dutcher is proposed to have office space within the new facility, with water repair crews continuing to work out of the water shop.
Jim Classe of the city's contracted architect firm, Prohaska and Associates, offered further information regarding the benefits the new facility offered city staff. Classe pointed out a modification to the floorplan that changed the layout of city staff office space, adding a second window into the main lobby and opening up the administrative area. "This will allow up to eight staff members to be within sight of the public greeting windows from their work spaces," said Classe, who explained the increased visibility would result in an increase in customer service to the public.
Classe also said the plan offered better access to the City Building Inspector. The building inspector's office was moved closer to the main entrance in this updated floorplan and has access to a convenient waiting area just outside of his office.
The City Council chambers will have the same capacity as Memorial Auditorium. Benefits of the new council chambers would be the handicap accessibility and onsite alternative chambers offered by the fire department's dividable training room. The council discussed utilizing the training room, which has potential for seating capacity to accommodate more than 125, when attendance warranted it.
The after hours drop box, for the payment of water/ sewer/ trash bills, would be upgraded as well with the addition of drive-through accessibility.
City administration office space will remain roughly the same as it currently is at Memorial Auditorium, 5,000 square feet. With the fire department (13,500 proposed square feet) and police department (10,000 proposed square feet) occupying the majority of the approximately 28,500 square foot building.
The City Council will seek voter approval at a Nov. 2, 2010, election to build the facility on the property, former home to the old West Ward School building in McCook, scheduled for demolition.