Council ponders remodeling city hall

ROSSTON – With no business to conduct, the Rosston City Council discussed remodeling city hall at its October meeting Monday night.

Rosston Mayor Dale Quarles said the project was put on hold in 2019 when Covid hit, though plans had been developed and financing found. Now, he said, is the time to revisit remodeling city hall to expand the building and improve its appearance. The plans from 2019, he added, are still good, but the city will need to find out what it will cost as inflation has caused the price of literally everything to increase. “We need to make sure we can afford it.”

The panel was also told about the budget and informed of bills paid off. One was Scott’s Plumbing, though a recent blowout caused the plumbing company to be called back to do some repair work. The city’s computer system has been paid off, but $2,800 is still owed on the mower the city purchased, though it should be paid off by December. In addition, 6 percent of the budget is being put into debt service, as required.

Some changes will be made to how things are done. First, the city will be creating a personnel policy as it doesn’t have one at this time. In addition, Quarles said, an application for water service will be required in the future.

These things, he added, are being done to benefit the city, and because they’re required. “We’ll develop a more professional way of doing things,” he said.

Changing topics, Quarles said it’s been hard to meet the expectations on the budget because of the pandemic. The cost of things has gotten high and there will be increases added into the budget for 2024. A proposed budget for 2024 will be brought before the council at its November meeting to be examined and approved at the December meeting. “We’re paying double for electricity than we were,” he said. “There’s no way around increases.”