Warner Robins council to vote on City Hall renovation, veterans memorial

WARNER ROBINS — Plans for renovations to City Hall and the construction of a veterans memorial on the front lawn, together totalling an estimated $4.12 million, are expected to be voted on next week by the City Council.

The council contracted with Warren Associates Inc. in July to handle the project, which will be completed using 2012 special purpose local option sales tax money.

In a meeting last month, the council was presented with the estimated cost for each project as well as an early rendering of what City Hall and the memorial would look like from Watson Boulevard. The memorial is projected to cost about $600,000, with City Hall renovations and contingencies accounting for the remainder of the $4.12 million.

Kim Demoonie, procurement manager for the city, said she is meeting with Warren Associates on Friday to get more specific costs to bring to City Council next Monday.

While the council has not formally voted on the location of the veterans memorial, detailed plans call for it to be built adjacent to the F-15 plane on the front lawn.

City Clerk Bill Harte said if Demoonie's presentation occurs as planned, "then the vote to accept the costs of construction would formalize the location of the veterans memorial."

Mayor Randy Toms said every council member was given an opportunity to review the projects' plans and costs.

"As far as I understand, four (council members) did (review plans) and were really much in favor of it," Toms said.

Renovation plans for City Hall include moving pre-council chambers from the second floor to the first, Demoonie said. That will involve removing several offices on the first floor.

"Down here, we'll have more room," Demoonie said, adding that the existing pre-council chamber upstairs will be split into two rooms.

The council chambers will also be revamped with acoustical panels "to help with the noise and everything," Demoonie said of the circular meeting room.

City Hall was built in the early 1970s and "is much in need of renovation because the electrical (system) and everything in it is just outdated," Toms said. "We're just trying to make it more customer-friendly and more user-friendly for the people who work there every day."

Plans for the veterans memorial feature a circular brick plaza with an eternal flame in the center on a star with black marble arrows extending from it to "represent each branch of the military," Demoonie said.

Toms said the city will offer the public an opportunity to purchase a brick paver or a space on the concrete memorial to be emblazoned with the name of a veteran, but no prices have been determined yet.

Behind the memorial, a new flagpole will separate a bell from the 9/11 memorial monument, which will feature steel from the World Trade Center secured to a concrete pad.

"The memorial is going to be an exciting place to be," Toms said. "We're a military town, and we embrace that."

To contact writer Laura Corley, call 744-4334 or follow her on Twitter @Lauraecor.

This story was originally published November 11, 2015 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Warner Robins council to vote on City Hall renovation, veterans memorial ."