By James Day
The new Silverton Civic Center likely will not be fully occupied until January 2024 after some unexpected complications hit the project.
The $19.5 million facility, which will hold most city staff as well as the police department, originally was scheduled for completion in July 2023.
Aug. 7 the Silverton City Council was told that substantial completion of the building is now scheduled for November, with early next year the target date for occupancy.
Two key complications have come up, Mayor Jason Freilinger wrote in a Facebook post that summarized action at the meeting. First, railroad tracks were found near the corner of North Water Street and Front Street. Additionally, Freilinger said, mistakes caused by one of the building’s contractors led to some beams being installed incorrectly.
The contractor will bear the financial responsibility for repairing the beams, but the problem will delay completion.
Freilinger noted that the building is currently running at 1.9% over the original budget, which he said is within range of the contingency budget and “good compared to most commercial projects of this size.”
The City Council approved $290,000 in change orders for the project at the Aug. 7 meeting. Both staff and the council expressed concerns at how close the city is getting to using up the contingency fund, Freilinger said.
Current policy gives interim city manager Kathleen Zaragoza the right to authorize change orders up to $60,000, but councilors have chosen to review all change orders in the future.
Staff also will be looking at cutting project spending where possible, perhaps by reviewing the cost of furnishings. The goal, Freilinger wrote, is not to exceed the contingency budget.
City officials are moving to the new building on the site of the former Eugene Field School because the current City Hall on South Water Street is deemed seismically unsafe.
In other highlights from the council session:
City manager: Freilinger wrote that the city currently has 14 applications in hand for the position that had been held by Ron Chandler. The council will meet in executive session on Aug. 21 to review the applications and discuss next steps in an open meeting following the executive session.
Surveys and outreach: The city placed a parks and recreation survey on water bills. The survey also is available on the city website, https://silverton.or.us/ (click on the News button). Surveys on downtown renovation and transportation will be coming, Freilinger said. The city is planning a town hall in the fall to discuss parks and recreation issues and a proposed urban renewal project for Main Street.
Rasmussen statue: Some residents spoke during the public comment period to urge the creation of a statue of former Mayor Stu Rasmussen to be placed outside the Palace Theatre, which he operated for decades. The council directed city staff to work with the residents on the proposed project.
