JACKSON OPENS NEW CITY HALL TO RESIDENTS

JACKSON -- City leaders mingled with the public Friday at the Jackson City Hall open house, beaming like proud parents and pointing out all the building's special features.

The city left the old City Hall on South High Street Dec. 29 and opened at the Court Street building on Jan. 2. The new building, formerly occupied by Boatmen's Bank, had been appraised at more than $1 million. The city paid $625,000 for it and invested another $125,000 in renovations and furnishings.

The result was a larger, more modern facility to house city offices and the library.

Even after the move, a few tasks remained before the Jackson Board of Aldermen could host an open house. The rest of the painting and work on the library section was completed in the last few weeks.

Mayor Paul Sander said he expected several hundred people to attend the open house, and the large number there at the event's beginning backed up his estimates.

"We want to be accessible to the public not only today but every day," Sander said.

He complimented city building supervisor Delbert Mouser for his work on City Hall, calling him "the glue that has held it all together." Sander also complimented City Administrator Steve Wilson for being tireless in his efforts to get work completed in time for the open house.

Visitors seemed impressed with their new City Hall.

"There is so much more room and it's much more modern," Sandy Penzel said. "It is something to be proud of."

Another guest, Tom Martin, said he particularly appreciated the new public library and noted it was "children friendly."

The library will be on two floors, with children's and adult's books on the bottom and the reading room, genealogy room, magazines, tapes and newspapers on the second floor. It will be closed March 19 through 31 so books may be moved from the old library.

The library will reopen in the new City Hall on April 1.