On Monday, November 14th, members of the New Town Hall Committee attended the Public Budget Hearing, Special Town Meeting of the Electors to approve the 2023 budget, and November Town Board meeting. The proposed budget included $80,000 for the building of a new town hall. Town Hall Committee members expressed concern that the town hall budget needed some flexibility in case building costs increase, and the board stated that they understood flexibility might be needed. After discussion, township residents, including New Town Hall Committee members, voted to approve the 2023 Marshall Township budget.
At the regular board meeting which immediately followed the budget meetings, the New Town Hall Committee gave a presentation about the Richwood Town Hall, which was built in 2010. A number of committee members had visited the Richwood location and toured the building. Although it is larger than the intended plan for the Marshall Town Hall, the Richwood Town Hall has many of the features desired for our new building, including being simple, well-constructed, and easy to maintain.
The committee reported to the Town Board that they would work on an inside layout and present their ideas at the December, 2022 board meeting, with a goal of posting the construction out for bids in early 2023. Some of the design features that the committee is looking to include are: well, bathroom, clerk/treasurer office, meeting room and voting area, outdoor entrance overhang, new electrical service, energy-efficient lighting, small kitchen area, new heating/cooling system, and accessibility for people with disabilities.
If you have any ideas about our new town hall, or if you are interested in working on the committee, call or email Mary Bard: (608)647-2594; marybard@mac.com.