New Government Structure
Lancaster adopts resolution to bond for Town Hall reconstruction and expansion costs
By Lee Chowaniec
May 8, 2007, 18:50

Monday evening, the Lancaster Town Board adopted a resolution authorizing reconstruction and construction improvements to Town Hall in an amount not to exceed $985,000.

The period of usefulness of the Purpose is 25 years and proposed maturity of the obligations authorized by the resolution will be in excess of five years. The said amount could be offset by any federal, state, county and or local grants received.

At the regular meeting, Supervisor Robert Giza declared that the town hall is running out of space. “It was not built to house the present size of government. We are also running out of parking space.”

Giza voiced that the former Lancaster Volunteer Ambulance Corps (LVAC) building was being used as a catch all to store recycle bins, lawn mowers, maintenance equipment, etc.

Building scheduled for reconstruction

“We are renting a building down the street that houses the Building Inspector’s Department,” said Giza. “Our thoughts are to put a second story on the present storage building, bring out the front of the building and then put office space in there; possibly moving the Building Department in there, my department or whatever. It is the necessary thing to do rather than rent space down the street. We are trying to get as much government departments into one area as possible.”

Work session

At the pre-meeting work session, board members were in agreement that although the money would be appropriated by later resolution adoption, the improvements and added expansion was still in the initial planning stages.

Town Engineer Robert Harris declared: “Who should occupy the building is the next step of design. There will be a space study made.”

Council Member Ronald Ruffino presented the other board members with a handout showing two options, single story reconstruction only and second story addition. Ruffino informed the board that the cost to build a two story building would naturally cost more, but when space would needed in the future as the town grows, the cost to add on to the building would be exponentially higher.

Ruffino added that lack of town space already dictates the need for a second story addition.

Council Member Donna Stempniak reiterated the need for a ‘space study” to establish design and occupancy needs.

Town Attorney Richard Sherwood declared that the maximum amount to be borrowed is set at $985,000. “We don’t have to borrow anything until we get to the point we need to. But this resolution will allow us to get the necessary funds.”

Discussion also took place on grants and revenues from the sale of the vacant Depew Library could be used to offset construction costs.





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