There are several smaller conference rooms, some of which can accommodate 10 to 15 people, but there is a need for a larger room.
“When we have, for instance, our agenda-prep meetings, where we have the entire large management together, there’s upwards of 20 people that get together,” Werdman said.
The city, in 2021, began leasing space at Community First Solutions, and this year, leased space in the Kirsch Building to make space for private-sector clients and “to start getting rent and have better use for this building, which is one of the nicest office buildings in town.”
Werdman said as the Council Chambers is underutilized, where it’s used only a few times a month for City Council, Planning Commission, BZA, and other boards and commissions. They do use Council Chambers to have meetings, but Werdman said “this room is not nearly as flexible as some of the other meeting rooms that we have.”
The plan is to remove the 69 fixed seats with temporary seating, which would be at least the same number of chairs, and replace the carpet. Before the carpet installation, Werdman said they’d like to consider running permanent cables underneath to accommodate TVHamilton broadcasts.
The dais and directors’ table would not be impacted by the renovations, Werdman said.
Any costs of the renovations would be added to the work being done on the first floor of the Government Services Center to relocate the Neighborhoods and Building departments. A final cost has not yet been calculated as the scope of the project has not been finalized.
Any technology upgrades or improvements had not been discussed, and City Manager Joshua Smith said he would like it to be considered.
“We have several people in the crowd that attend a lot of the City Council meetings,” he said. “I would be interested in their input, when we show something on a screen, can you see it very easily, do you have a suggestion on how we can communicate a little better?
“If we’re going to go to the effort to make some of those changes, there’s got to be some simple technology changes we could make in terms of audio and video that would enhance the user’s experience.”
Werdman said he has already spoken with the boards and commissions associated with the Planning Department, and Director Liz Hayden confirmed her department’s on board with the renovations.
Any renovations to Council Chambers would be done after the second December City Council meeting, Werdman said.
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