Poplar Bluff lacks money for city hall fixes

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The city of Poplar Bluff does not have enough money to fund projected costs to renovate or replace its city hall, police department and city court, city manager Heath Kaplan said Thursday.

It could cost about $10 million for many of the solutions being considered by the city hall feasibility study committee, according to information presented by Ben Traxel, of the architectural firm Dille and Traxel. The company is conducting the study.

The city can afford about $6 million, Kaplan said.

"With that, I don't think we have a project," Traxel said.

"I agree," Kaplan said.

There is no money for land acquisition to move to another site, Kaplan said, and other estimated costs for the project have to come down.

The city may need to consider constructing new space for the city hall or police department and finding another solution, including possibly leasing property, for the remaining departments, Kaplan said.

The police department is expected to move this month to a leased building at 1111 Poplar St., which the city is renovating.

These issues will be taken to the city's finance committee, which meets Tuesday, Kaplan said.

The city hall committee will meet again May 28 to discuss the results of that meeting.

Funding for the city hall project will come from the capital improvement sales tax fund, Kaplan said. Four payments of about $1 million remain on debt related to the coliseum, library and golf course.

These funds would be put toward a debt payment for the new city offices, he said. Kaplan told the coliseum advisory board in March a portion of this money would remain with the coliseum to cover building expenses. This was not discussed with the city hall group.

Renovation costs are estimated at approximately $9.5 million for the nearly 58,000-square-foot Second Street building, Traxel said.

Cost to construct a new police department is estimated at about $4.5 million, based on industry standards and the history of local projects, Traxel said. The police department needs about 32,000 square feet, he said.

New construction for city hall offices would cost almost $2.9 million. If the departments relocate, the city will incur a $1.5 million cost to demolish the current building, Traxel said. There also will be additional costs to purchase property, prepare the building site and deal with access road issues, he said.

Pertinent address:

101 Oak St., Poplar Bluff, Mo.