City Hall moving home

City Hall at 100 N Main will open for business as usual at 9 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 23.

The current cost of the rehabilitation project, from 2013 to date, adds up to almost $400,000. So far, White Salmon’s insurance carrier has reimbursed the city just over $264,000, “with invoices and other costs still to be negotiated and submitted,” Johnson noted.

Some items will be completed at a later date, such as stairs out the back of the building for the second story, completion of the exterior, and converting the public rest-rooms in the back of the building into additional office space for document storage.

“The building will be ADA compliant and there will be two customer service windows when you walk into the building,” Johnson said.

The old drive-up service window will no longer be in service, “as the electronics for the window were damaged beyond the ability to repair it, and it was too expensive to replace,” Johnson noted.

Still, customers will be able to make payments via a secure drop box on the building’s north side.

“Regardless of the cost of individual items, there is a limit to the total cost of the repairs authorized to be reimbursed by insurance,” Johnson said.

Inside 100 N Main, visitors will find five offices and one conference room. “This allows customers to talk with staff confidentially if they have a sensitive issue regarding their utility bill or if they have other topics they would like to discuss confidentially, such as anonymous reporting of code violation complaints,” said Johnson.

City staff, she continued, is looking forward to returning to the clock-tower building they were forced to vacate after an interior water line broke and caused serious flood damage.

“Although they will miss their current view of Mt. Hood since the old Creamery building was torn down, there are many other benefits they are looking forward to,” Johnson said. Improvements in-clude windows that open, temperature regulation, and lighting.

“The current office configuration at 142 E Jewett is very distracting and provides no space for employees to take breaks or lunch,” said Johnson. “With the move we are looking forward to increased productivity with enclosed offices and a separate break room for employees.”