During a recent city council meeting, Public Works Director William Appleton presented an update on the Civic Campus project, requesting an additional $754,000 to advance the feasibility phase. This funding is crucial for conducting site investigations, community engagement, and financial consulting as the city explores options for a new civic facility.

The Civic Campus initiative began in 2020 when the council approved a contract with AHRQ Architects to assess the current city hall and maintenance facilities. The findings indicated that the costs to repair the existing structures were comparable to building new ones, prompting the council to consider a new civic campus for better accessibility.

Appleton outlined the project's progress, including the hiring of JLL as the owner's representative and the initiation of community outreach efforts. The next steps involve identifying potential sites, conducting financial analyses, and finalizing a massing study to determine the layout of the proposed campus.

The funding request breaks down into several components: $204,000 for site investigation and due diligence, $85,000 for community engagement, and $75,000 for a project financing consultant. The total committed funding for the project, if approved, would reach approximately $1.7 million.

Council members expressed mixed feelings about the funding request. Some raised concerns about the efficiency of hiring external consultants for community engagement, suggesting that existing staff could handle these tasks. Others highlighted the importance of thorough due diligence given the project's potential scale, which could range from $50 million for a new city hall to upwards of $100 million for a full civic campus.

The council is expected to deliberate further on the priorities surrounding the Civic Campus project, weighing the need for a new facility against other community needs and financial considerations. The outcome of this funding request will significantly influence the project's trajectory and the city's long-term planning efforts.