CALEDONIA — The Caledonia Board of Aldermen met Tuesday night to engage in a little planning and a lot of wishful thinking as they began the early stages of imagining what they would like to see in a new municipal building.
It”s an idea they”ve discussed for some time, and Alderwoman Brenda Willis came armed with a report from her recent visit to Saltillo, where she toured the town”s government facilities.
“It”s a monstrosity,” she said of the 44,000-square foot building. “It”s really nice when you walk in.”
The aldermen laughed when Willis described Saltillo”s drive-thru window for water bill payments, but nothing was discounted as a possibility.
Caledonia”s current town hall, roughly 784 square feet, makes parking a challenge, and during town meetings, there”s only enough room for a handful of visitors to sit. Late arrivals usually necessitate a scramble for chairs, and even then, Alderman Mike Savage noted, it”s a tight fit.
If the board decides to build a new municipal complex, they hope to find grants to offset the cost. It would be located at South Street and Wolf Road.
Possibilities for the building”s use include relocating town hall and the fire department, using it as a community center, and soliciting businesses who might be more attracted to move to Caledonia if they don”t have to build from the ground up.
Alderman Quinn Parham said he”d like to see a bank and a pharmacy in the space, and town attorney Jeff Smith indicated two banks — which he declined to name — might indeed be interested once the aldermen have a floor plan in hand.
Smith said with the current low interest rates, they should consider borrowing money before January, erring on the side of more money than they think they will need instead of too little.
“We haven”t had it for this long, we ought not be in a rush to get it,” Parham said, suggesting they set aside funds each year and let the money accrue interest.
“We”re not going to do this overnight,” Mayor George Gerhart said.
Gerhart appointed Willis, Parham and Savage to a planning committee. The three will continue to solicit community feedback before any final decisions are made.
The next Board of Aldermen meeting will be held Sept. 6 at the Caledonia Town Hall.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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