Board of Aldermen discuss future facility needs, plan to bring bond issue to voters

by Addie Rainbolt

The Grain Valley Board of Aldermen met Monday, July 29th at City Hall to discuss future facility needs. Specifically, the Board considered whether the Grain Valley City Hall, Community Center and pool could be renovated to match current needs or should be rebuilt to prepare for future needs. The Board came to a consensus that the facilities needed to be rebuilt. 

This consensus means the Board will ask voters to approve a bond issue to build new community facilities. The board agreed to have an architectural firm look at space needs and design options for community facilities including city hall, community center, pool and public works facility. 

Ken Murphy, city administrator, began the meeting by summarizing a similar bond issue that failed in 2020.

Despite this outcome, Murphy said, “the needs didn’t go away, the bond issue just failed.”

Murphy continued to explain the issues of the current facilities to illustrate the need for renovation or rebuilding. 

The issues at City Hall included a lack of soundproofed space for private meetings and adequate office space, HVAC issues, leaky pipes, roof damage, and potholes in the parking lot.

Issues in the Community Center included roof damage, HVAC issues, and lack of resources and space for the community size.

“The question has always been, ‘Do you put money in renovating this one or do you relocate and build elsewhere?'", Murphy said. 

In December 2021, Murphy said, the board directed the city “not to make any long-term investments in the buildings that we had; don’t take them past 10 years.”

While the 10 years have not passed yet, Murphy said, the “buildings are not getting any younger and the issues aren’t going away.”

Murphy said the City Hall and Community Center were both built in 2000; neither building can be effectively expanded upon and both would be expensive to renovate because of their extensive issues.

Mike Todd, mayor, said renovations could temporarily fix some of these issues, but not mend the facilities’ bones.

Murphy then conducted a tour of the City Hall facilities, pointing out problem areas like water damage on carpets and ceiling tiles, rooms without air conditioning, and non-optimal office spaces.

Tom Cleaver, Ward I alderman, said both facilities had outlasted their terms and will only continue to deteriorate. Considering the state of these buildings, Cleaver said they are not meeting the city’s needs.

Rick Knox, Ward II alderman, said our facilities should not only meet our current needs but also prepare for future needs. “You can’t build for today; you have to build for the future.”

According to Murphy, the bond issue will not incite a yearly tax raise for Grain Valley residents.

No further decisions about projected cost, completion dates or location can be made until an architect is consulted, but Murphy said architects have already been interviewed.

The next regular meeting is Monday, August 12th at 6:30pm at City Hall.