City Hall Looking at Lobby Redesign

After talking about it for nearly six years, city officials are hoping to finally remodel the lobby inside city hall.

Mayor Katherine Procop said Tuesday that safety is the main concern behind the estimated $35,000 project.

"If you go in most city halls, receptionists are behind some kind of glass for protection," Procop said.

She added that the city has made safety efforts in the past by locking the back hallways and chambers of city hall.

"This is the last area we need to do," Procop said.

Police Chief Chris Noga told city council that two officers did a security survey of the building several years back.

"One of the things on our list of issues was the lobby and how the receptionist is out in the open," Noga said.

They toyed with the idea of adding a metal detector, but decided against it because it would be too much to have someone run it at all times.

"We want to mke sure we provide a safe environment for our employees who greet the public," Noga said.

Another possibility could be transforming it into a visitor's center also.

Procop said they will continue looking into that idea and may even talk with the Chamber of Commerce about a joint project.

Councilman Bill Furey was just glad to see movement on the project.

"We’ve been talking about it as long as I’ve been here,” Furey said.