The Story of the City Hall Remodel is still unfolding.

"I am reluctant to spend this much money," said Councilman J.R. Reviczky. "The scope of work for this project has doubled. We started out at $700,000 and now we're up to $1.8 million, and that is a lot of money to spend at one time." (Beach Reporter, 8/30/01, quoting Reviczky at council meeting of 8/28/01.)

He voted for it anyway. The council approved it unanimously on August 28. Since then, the budget has swollen to over $2 million. Construction is to begin in early November.

After many revisions, and substantial fees for re-designs, the project includes such things as $115,000+ of council chamber television equipment (which will become obsolete very quickly), drywalling the perfectly good brick walls inside the council chambers, bolted-down theatre-style chairs in the council chambers (ruining its present multi-purpose ability), and air conditioning throughout. The air conditioning equipment will draw so much current that the main power panels will have to be replaced, at great expense.

A citizen suggested that the project, and the use of the money, should be re-examined:

It should be noted that at the August 28 meeting the council did not follow the staff recommendation, deferred the issue of the final funding of the project, and so has not to date, taken the $300,000 from the Compensated Absences Fund. Construction began on October 29.