The project, which has been a source of frustration for the public and the Council due to its high price tag, is currently in the design stages. In April, $331,700 was approved for the plans to be drawn up for the building. They will contact a builder as soon as they find appropriate financing outside of the City’s savings account.

City Manager Jim Wieprecht explained how the funding would be sourced based on what fund it comes from, General or Utility. Sewer will see the smallest amount, at 1.4 million from the Utility Fund, because the building will support less sewer infrastructure than water and streets (sewer will be run primarily out of the wastewater treatment plant). The rest of the monies will be divided between the Water Fund (Utility) and Streets (General), at 2.8 million from each. The City will continue to find grants and may utilize government infrastructure financing programs. Solar panels are part of the current plans, which may aid in the search for grant funding, as well as the possibility of geothermal heating and cooling is also being considered.

"I think seven million dollars is going to be tough for everyone in the community to swallow. Have we thought about building it in stages?" asked Member Dan Myers. Wieprecht assured him that constructing the new building in portions is an option, however that approach would cost more in construction costs overall.

"We are working towards building something that will accommodate growth of the City and the department for many years to come," said Wieprecht.

The new building will allow all the equipment and supplies to be housed in one building, preventing unnecessary wear and tear on equipment and vandalism. There is also space for the future storage of brine tanks which the state is pushing to be used instead of salt during winter storms. The tanks must be stored inside otherwise direct sunlight can accelerate deterioration of the equipment. It also replaces the old, dilapidated buildings currently used by the public works employees, which currently suffer from leaks, cramped spaces, and weather damage.

The building is projected to include a designated chlorine storage unit, a wash bay for vehicle care, a mechanical room, a clerk’s office for file storage, two additional offices, an IT room for system resiliency, and a 40’ by 80’ salt bin. Employees will have a resting room to sleep or relax in when on long shifts, such as during snowstorms, a breakroom, two bathrooms, and a 40-person classroom useful for training sessions. The classroom would also be available to other City departments and for joint training sessions with other jurisdictions.

As for what the City will do with the old public works buildings, three of them are in poor enough condition that they will likely be demolished. Removing the three dilapidated buildings would also open additional space for parking. The other three buildings will be repurposed for Parks and Recreation and athletic association organizations to better store their own equipment and potentially include space for a future baseball batting tunnel to be used during inclement weather.