[FEB.
18, 2006]
No price has been spoken yet, but indications are
that it isn't going to be cheap when City Hall finally gets fixed
up. In fact it's going to cost enough to look at breaking the
restoration of the building into phases, according to the Grounds,
Buildings and Local Improvements Committee chairman, Jonie Tibbs.
Jonie Tibbs
The building houses both City Hall and the Lincoln Fire Department
and was built in 1895-1896. Its dedication was on March 2, 1896. The
cost was $20,000.
The fire department portion is the oldest working firehouse in
Illinois. The bays didn't house trucks with engines in that day,
though. Horsepower was provided by Bill and Barney. The bays were
not built for the heavy trucks that are used today, and some
structural damage continues to need addressing.
Other age-related structural issues must be addressed at this
time as well. Water sits in the basement under the fire department
bays. Whether it is coming up through cracks or is due to inadequate
sewer drainage or some other source has yet to be determined.
General, all-over mortar and bricks need replacing, and so forth.
Following the first walk-around, engineers suggested to Tibbs
that the city should be setting aside 2 percent of the building
value every year. The funds would then be available for building
repairs and maintenance as the building ages. As it is, it is not
known where the funding will come from, but it has been in the
city's plans for a couple of years to put it into the 2006-2007
fiscal year budget that begins this May.
Tibbs, Whitaker and other members of the council agreed that this
would be a good practice to begin on all the city-owned buildings.
City Clerk Melanie Riggs said that she would look up all the city
buildings and get those figures compiled.
Tibbs said that extensive damage and repair needs were
identified. There are no grants available to cover the work that is
needed, and it is too expensive to attempt all at once. She has
invited the council to join her at the next walk-through, set for
March 20 at 6:30 p.m.
After that, the committee will then work with the engineers and
contractors to make a plan of what will be done in each phase. The
first phase will probably be to start on the fire department end of
the building, where the most serious work is needed, and then move
toward the City Hall end.
Alderman Daron Whitaker said that they are looking for donations
of bricks that match the building. Several people planning to take
chimneys down that were built during the same time period have
offered their bricks.
