Poplar Bluff City Hall might not make it through winter

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The condition of Poplar Bluff City Hall may have deteriorated so badly, employees will need another home before the end of the year.

“I don’t want to wait until November (to make a decision),” mayor pro tem Philip Crocker said Monday during a regular meeting of the city council. “I’d like to expedite the matter. I don’t think we can stay here another winter.”

Council members asked for a report at their May 16 meeting from members of the city hall feasibility committee. The committee may be disbanded after that meeting.

The council also was expected to discuss “new information” in closed session about city offices. The information falls under the real-estate exemption of the Sunshine Law, city manager Mark Massingham said before the meeting.

City officials have spent the past two years debating and researching options for the repair or replacement of the Second Street building, which once held the police department, city offices and city court. The police department was relocated to a rented building on Poplar Street about a year ago.

Roof problems and other deteriorated conditions continue to plague workers who remain on Second Street, where city offices have been in a retrofitted hospital building for the past 25 years.

City workers recently spread 50 gallons of tar across a 2,400 square foot section of the roof above the city clerk’s office, officials said. Water had pooled on the second floor of the now-vacant police department, before reaching the main floor offices that still are occupied.

“I am mostly concerned about our employees who are working here,” said new Ward 1 council member Susan McVey. “This is a dreadful place, and you would not want any of your family members living under these conditions. It’s gone on far too long.”

It is uncertain whether the city will have enough money to replace its city hall and police department, after council members allocated millions of dollars to technology projects in 2014 and 2015. The city is investigating those purchases, as well as former technology contractor Information Systems Intelligence and former city manager Heath Kaplan under allegations of possible fraud.

Massingham has been in place less than a year.

The most recent proposals discussed for construction of a new city hall and police department would exceed the city’s $6 million budget by $800,000, according to information presented in November at the last city hall feasibility committee.

The council needs to know what the budget is and how much square footage is needed, said Crocker of Ward 4.

“From my standpoint ... it’s what can we afford, and the second thing is, what do we really need?” he said, later adding, “If we can’t figure out something for this year, is there a temporary solution for us until we figure it out? Because I don’t think this place is going to hold us very much longer.”

Mayor Ed DeGaris and council member-at-large David Johnson praised the work the city hall committee has done to date.

Ward 5 council member Peter Tinsley questioned the need to disband the feasibility committee.

“We need more input,” he said. “I’d feel more comfortable having more citizens’ input, than just having the council make decisions.”

Crocker agreed he would like more input, but maintained decisions need to be made. If the council disbands the committee, the members can be called back if needed, he said.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, Mo.