Centerfield seeking CIB grant to renovate aging city hall

By Gage Slusser

Staff Writer

CENTERFIELD—The town council discussed replacing their city hall before the old building collapses at their meeting on June 5.

Centerfield has submitted a $350,000 matching grant to the Community Impact Board (CIB) to demolish and rebuild the existing city hall, according to city officials. This means the CIB will contribute $175,000 and the city will have to come up with another $175,000 in matching funds. Centerfield will know if their grant has been accepted in October.

In the meantime, a public hearing has been scheduled for June 19 to discuss the project. City officials have been thinking about replacing city hall for a couple of years now, because the building has become structurally unsound.

According to Mayor Tom Sorenson, the floor joists are each held up by two stacked sandstone blocks. “If we had an earthquake,” he said, “the building would collapse in on itself.”

The mayor went on to describe the cracks in the foundation and the separation on the northwest corner.

Jed Hansen, the Gunnison Valley Fire Chief, has expressed on numerous occasions that he would rather cope with a building with fewer code violations. The asbestos in the attic and the absence of any exits other than the front door top the list of his concerns.

The contemplated layouts of the new building would address these concerns as well as solve several issues regarding improved functionality and access.

City Recorder Lacey Belnap and Treasurer Tammy Winegar were recognized for their organization efforts to secure funding. Mayor Sorensen also noted that funding for a water project had progressed even further and he again expressed his gratitude for the effort of the administrative officers and the council. The CIB is also the source of funding for the water project.

Other routine business was discussed, such as street asphalt applications and improved legibility of street signs. Some of the ‘Yield’ signs could only be discerned by their shape and some of the street signs were either missing or illegible to drivers.

Suggested text for an ordinance outlining the payment of building permits was discussed with council members tasked with researching the boilerplate of similar ordinances in other municipalities.

Rachel Jensen reported on the preparations for the upcoming Pioneer Day celebration. Her dialogue with the council touched on the success of last year’s event and where additional help might best be used.

Suggestions were made regarding the use of revenue from the event to make improvements in the park. An additional pavilion was contemplated and left for future discussion.