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Town hall plans unveiled

When Farmington citizens go to the polls in November they may be voting in a new town hall.

They were given a first glimpse of the proposed new facility at a Planning Commission meeting Monday, March 24.

Farmington Town Chairman Dale Trinrud said the board has discussed plans to build a new town hall for more than a decade.

In 2004, when Waupaca County municipalities developed their comprehensive plans, Farmington identified a new town hall among its needs.

Farmington’s existing town hall was originally the Barton School House, built in 1902 for $49. It is the small red building with the white cupola located on the southwest corner of State Highway 54 and County Road Q.

Trinrud said the current facility has problems with its sewer and water system, its restrooms are not handicapped accessible, and there is inadequate office and storage space.

Town Clerk-Treasurer Sandy Grenlie said voters frequently must line up outside due to the lack of space inside the building.

“I think we addressed the future with this building, as well as taking care of current needs,” Trinrud said.

Martenson and Eisele Inc., of Menasha, is working with Farmington on the design of the new hall.

“These plans are not set in stone just yet,” according to Dan Krause, a senior vice president of architecture with Martenson and Eisele.

During the meeting, Krause described the proposal and solicited input from the public.

Krause said the new building would be between 4,400 and 4,600 square feet. He estimated its cost at approximately $150 per square foot.

Trinrud said the town board has been setting aside money for the new hall for many years. It has budgeted $800,000 toward the project, which will come from reserve funds.

“There will not be any increases in your taxes,” Trinrud said.

Krause said several details, such as the materials used for the roof, have yet to be determined as the designers work to balance costs with features.

The building will be located on the northeast corner of State 54 and County Q, about 200 feet from the center of State 54.

During discussion at Monday’s meeting, Krause was asked if the building may be too close to the roadway if State 54 is developed into a four-lane highway in the future.

Krause said he would contact the Department of Transportation regarding future plans and the highway’s current right-of-way.

The new building will have a front entrance that leads into a weather vestibule with a second set of double doors.

A lobby is planned beyond the vestibule. To the east, there will be a transaction counter and the main office, where the clerk-treasurer will work.

To the west of the lobby, there will be a 15-by-25-feet meeting room, which is slightly smaller than the town hall’s existing meeting room.

A much larger, 40-by-44-feet multipurpose room is planned on the building’s far west side. It is designed to hold up to 120 people if they are seated in rows of chairs.

The multipurpose room may also be rented for receptions and other events. Storage is planned for folding tables and chairs.

On the northeast side of the multipurpose room, there will be a kitchen. A special driveway to the back of the building will allow easy access to the kitchen area.

The voting booths will be located either on the west or north wall of the multipurpose room.

In addition to the main office, there will also be two smaller offices and a small conference room.

The building’s exterior will be three feet of brick from the grade up. Above the brick, plans call for a cement board lap siding.

The exterior walls around the entrance will be brick to the roof line.

Interior walls will be drywall, while there will be scissor trusses along the roof. Acoustic panels will hang from the trusses.

Among the issues Farmington residents raised were future needs for additional storage, the size and number of toilets in the restrooms and the location of the utility room.

Krause said he and the town board will continue working on the details of the design.

The goal is to have the new town hall completed before the November 2014 election.

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