http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wium/local-wium-882730.mp3
Burlington, IA – City Manager Doug Worden says Burlington's current City Hall is functional. He says the building at 400 Washington Street, though, does have some issues.
Worden says the third floor city council chambers can be difficult for some residents to access and the off-street parking is limited. He says the building is also very open, which allows people to come in and out of the building without employees seeing them.
Worden says issues like those could be addressed by moving city government to the former train depot in downtown Burlington. He says this new idea is just a concept at this point, given the condition of the depot.
The Burlington City Council must decide whether to move forward with a feasibility study. Worden says several aldermen favor the study while a couple are hesitant or unsure.
Worden says the study would cost less than $18,000. He says it should be completed in about one month.
One section of the study will have to look at flood control. The former depot was inundated with water during the 1993 and 2008 floods.
Worden says part of the plan calls for the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission to purchase City Hall and a neighboring lot to park vehicles. SEIRPC is considering purchasing a building in West Burlington.
The organization currently calls Memorial Auditorium home.