POWASSAN — Municipal staff are recommending a budget reserve fund be started to finance a new municipal office building, but the current council isn’t about to wade into the debate.

A memo presented to council at its Nov. 18 meeting lists a number of reasons for the recommendation.

“The current building is not office friendly,” staff said. “With offices on both floors there is a need to have two photocopiers, additional bathrooms and more complex computer network cabling.”

Despite the size of the current building, the memo says there is no office space available for summer or contract workers. As the municipality’s public works staff have to use a separate building for their administration there is a lack of a “team environment” among the total staff.

The memo also cites loss of productivity as staff  have to work from both floors to access files, supplies and equipment; no safe storage space for archival material as the basement leaks; lack of storage space that currently means files are stored in the lunchroom and washrooms; and wasted space in the building that is costing money on heat and electricity bills.

Lack of parking for both staff and ratepayers is also listed as a concern, as is the need for increased meeting space; the issue of having the fire department running vehicles and training right under the council chambers and often during meeting times; a lack of space within the attached fire hall for equipment, storage and shower facilities; and the need for roof repairs.

Accessibility is also a problem, as the municipality nears the 2010 provincial deadline for meeting the customer service portion of the new accessibility compliance.

Councillor Peter McIsaac said that under the new asset management regulations “we will have to put money away for every one of our buildings, like it or not. I think we will have to look at this as a reserve budget line. After all, everything has a lifespan.”

Deputy clerk Nicky Kunkel indicated that though the current council will pass the issue over for a new 2010 council to debate, it was important that the recommendations be put forward now.

“It will take several years to determine the feasibility, create the design and place money in reserves in order to complete the project. However, if we don’t start now, we are that much farther behind and costs will rise.”

The subject of a new municipal office facility “has been ongoing since amalgamation (in 2000),” said Kunkel, “and council is often reluctant to place monies in the budget for repairs to the current building. If council places this project on its list, staff can start to look into the possibilities now and report to council and the public to improve services in an ambitious manner.”

Several options for office expansion have been suggested, including building a new facility in a location accessible to the majority of the population; expanding into the Sportsplex or another municipal building, or looking at existing buildings in the municipality that become available.

“One of the first things we would have to look at is how much space do we actually need,” Kunkle said, “as well as a comparison between the costs of the current building and the costs of any new structures.”

She estimates the feasibility portion of the project will take over a year to complete.

“We also have to consider what can be proposed for the existing building if it ceases to be the municipal office,” she said.

“This is going to be a (2010) election issue,” said councillor Nancy Barner when the memo was presented. “I can’t wait before this gets into the budget.”

She reminded council that at the time of amalgamation money had been available to newly amalgamated municipalities in need of new municipal office space.

“Council had its chance, and they turned it down,” she said.

CAO Roger Labelle said the recommendations “will be brought back to the next term of council for debate,” and was quick to point out “you won’t see it again this term.”