La Cygne council in favor of city hall upgrade; discusses creating space for new businesses

An architect's concept of the entries to the La Cygne City Hall that were presented to the city council last month. (Journal file photo)

By Roger Sims, Journal staff

linncountyjournal@icloud.com

LA CYGNE – At the La Cygne City Council meeting on Feb. 18, members of the La Cygne City Council were presented with different options on the renovation of city hall.

First, repairs to the two buildings on Broadway, one that has been used as city hall for a number of years and the other the La Cygne Community Building next door, needed to be made. The estimated cost for those repairs to the current buildings were about $415,000.

Second, the council could approve a plan to renovate both buildings – complete with a passage way that would connect them – for about $1.76 million, including the cost to repair both buildings. 

Third, remodel one building or the other. The fourth option: Make the changes one step at a time. (To link to our earlier article, click here.)

With the recent addition of meeting spaces at the La Cygne Library and the space at Labette Bank for customers, demand for use of the community building declined. Last year the council voted to cease renting out the structure, although in addition to the meeting room for the council it has been used for special city events.

At the council’s meeting on Wednesday, March 18, Mayor Debra Wilson asked that, since the basic concepts had been pulled together, she wanted to know which direction the council would take.

Although Councilmember Kent Wade was absent, the other four members of the council said they preferred the plan that used two buildings.

Councilman Oscar Marino said that he particularly liked the expansion of the police department space that was included in the two-building plan.

Wilson said she wanted to limit the discussion, but before the council went on to another subject Councilmember Jerome Mitzner recalled a conversation he had earlier this year with City Clerk Jodi Wade about making part of the space an incubator for new businesses.

Wade, who in an open meeting had mentioned the idea of making part of the community building into a new business incubator last year, said that many communities were developing those facilities to help get startups on their feet.

Typically, a new business incubator will allow local entrepreneurs office space or a place for meeting with clients or customers.

Councilmember Ed Smith said that Johnson County Library had a "makers" area, a similar incubator that even had a 3D printer and other equipment

Jarrod Mann, an engineer with BG Consultants Inc. who was attending the council meeting on a different matter, pointed to incubator facilities in other area cities, including Emporia Main Street, which offers business consulting and training.