Though obviously feeling a little under the weather, Eatonton Mayor John Reid was nonetheless pleased to discuss City Hall completing a crosstown move from 201 N. Jefferson Ave. to its new municipal complex at 314 S. Washington Ave., taking over the old Putnam County Elementary School property.
Eatonton City Council formally designated the new city hall Monday night during its regularly scheduled meeting, completing a move that city officials said was months in the making. City Administrator Gary Sanders said he reviewed the city charter and found no additional requirements beyond council approval to make the relocation official.
The move was largely completed by last Friday, with employees ready for business Monday morning. Reid said city employees had been busy moving records and other materials not needed for daily operations before making last week’s final push.
“They deserve the credit; they planned this thing,” he said. “They’ve been working on it for months.”
Now, with nearly everything in place, most office employees will avoid having to return on Saturday, Reid confirmed.
The biggest difference, he added, is space.
“I’m elated about the way things have worked out,” Reid said. “There’s plenty of space for everybody, room to grow. There’s room for all our departments.”
Eventually, the goal is to bring additional city departments under the same roof.
Reid said the new complex also gives council members and committees appropriate meeting space, something that was difficult in the former City Hall, which served the community since the late 1990s.
Police and fire operations are expected to move to the complex eventually, although additional renovations will be required. Sanders said that work will require a “substantial investment” and will depend partly on accumulating SPLOST-10 revenue. The city currently receives up to $150,000 per month from the tax, he said, though he remained uncertain when those departments might move.
Several council members praised employees for getting the first phase completed smoothly.
Councilwoman Mylle Mangum thanked staff members who worked through the move, saying reports she received indicated the transition went well. Councilman Chip Walker echoed that praise.
“They were flying around, to say the least,” Walker said. “Everything looks real good. I think we’re going to have a municipal complex to be extremely proud of.”
The final push largely involved transferring the equipment and materials needed for day-to-day operations. Sanders confirmed the city closed last Friday to ensure all internet, phone lines, and other office equipment were moved, installed, tested, and performing as expected.
“It is a tremendous upgrade,” Sanders said, calling the move “a great milestone for the city.”
The move also preserves a property Reid believes can serve purposes beyond municipal offices. The grounds traditionally have been used for parade staging, and the former school property provides parking, green space, and room that could potentially be made available to state or federal agencies needing office space.
He added the city may eventually talk with Putnam County officials about recreational possibilities on portions of the property, though currently there are no specific plans.
In other business, the council unanimously approved amendments establishing zoning requirements for technology processing facilities (better known as data centers), following a unanimous recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Council also approved a Putnam County High School homecoming parade permit, annual service agreements with the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce and The Plaza Arts Center, and appointed Will Haley to fill an unexpired term on the Eatonton Housing Authority.
For the mayor, however, the new City Hall represents a long-term investment.
“We’re happy with what we’ve done,” he said. “We think we made a very wise move.”
And with considerably more room than the city has had in the past, the mayor does not expect another relocation anytime soon.
“I don’t think our city is going to grow enough to outgrow that City Hall,” he predicted.