What at first appeared to be a routine Fishers City Council Finance Committee meeting became the first public look at designs and some details about plans for a new City Hall. City officials have hired professionals to plan the details of the new building.
The current Fishers City Hall is costing municipal government a lot of money just to keep up with repairs. Engineers have toldofficials the current City Hall is sinking into the ground.
The new structure will contain more than just offices for city employees. An arts center and indoor performing arts theater are part of the new complex. City Hall offices will take up 21,827 square feet. The indoor theater will be 14,887 square feet with 250 seats. A 9,736 square foot arts center containing a gallery, classroom, flex and studio space will be part of the new building.
Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren laid out a timeline. Construction would begin in October of this year, with proceeds from city bonds issued for the project coming into city coffers in November of 2022. The ribbon cutting ceremony is projected to be March of 2024.
All public meetings currently held in City Hall will take place at Launch Fishers during the construction period. City staff will be relocated to the existing City Services Building, Launch Fishers or employees will be working remotely. The city administration will operate from space in the new First Internet Bank building.
The new City Hall complex with the arts center is projected to cost $22.8 million. $6.3 million of American Rescue Plan (ARP) money will be used to fund part of the cost. The remaining $16.5 million will be financed through a 20 year bond backed by property taxes. The debt service cost is estimated to be $1.22 million. Hultgren says there will be no impact on the city tax rate or cash balance as a result of this financing plan.
Committee member Jocelyn Vare voiced concerns that the Council will not be holding public hearings or vote on this plan to direct $6.3 million of ARP money to partially fund the City Hall construction. Hultgren responded that the Council vote many months ago authorizes the mayor and his staff to determine how the ARP funds will be spent. He and Controller Lisa Bradford say final guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department allows the city to use the ARP money for the City Hall project.
Finance Committee Chair John Weingardt said the city is following all the rules for ARP funds. Committee member Cecilia Coble had no issue with how the city is choosing to use the ARP money.
Hultgren told panel members the full City Council will receive a more detailed briefing with more visuals and information at Monday night’s regular Council session
Certainly a generic looking building. We’ve lost so much of the familiar look and feel of our town, it seems a shame that we can’t bring back a little of the home town feel and less of the corporate sprawl.