Piermont Village Hall Renovation Will Likely Be Done By DPW; Contractors Too Expensive
The village clerk's office is out-of-code and in need of a revamp
The village clerk's office in Piermont village hall needs a makeover—cramped space and old furniture render the office inefficient and unsightly.
"It's a workplace that could use lot of improvement," explained mayor Chris Sanders, adding the area does not meet with village code standards.
Overhauling the facility has been on the village's to-do list for a while, but when the project—which was thought to cost $50,000—was pitched to contractors, bids came in at six digits. Now, officials are looking to have the village DPW carry out the work and stay within the original budget.
The estimate, which includes labor and $16,000 worth of furniture, may still increase, however; extensive IT and rewiring work may push the cost up to $55,000, Sanders said. The project will be funded through bonds, he added.
At last week's board meeting, trustees discussed other options—like clearing out the building's third floor or moving to the nearby community center—but ultimately decided both options were too pricey.
"I'm wondering if right now is the time to be spending all this money," said trustee Joan Gussow.
At the same board, Piermont's police department—which is located on village hall's first floor—noted it needs more room.
"We need more space," explained Michael O'Shea, Piermont's police chief. O'Shea noted the police holding area currently doubles as storage. "If we have multiple arrests, it becomes an issue," he said.
The village will continue the discussion at its Feb. 8 board of trustees meeting.
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Correction: The overhaul will not add more space to the village clerk's office or police department, as stated in an earlier version of this article. The error has been remedied.