Seymour City Hall is relocating this week in preparation of an emergency renovation project.
But people don’t need to worry about having to travel far to get a building permit, speak with the mayor or conduct other business with city officials.
Beginning Monday, most city hall offices will be open and accessible at the former Reedy Financial building at 211 N. Chestnut St., just across Third Street from city hall’s current location.
Mayor Matt Nicholson said the move is temporary but could last up to six months.
“I’m hoping that we’re back in here by the end of the year,” he said. “But we managed to work out a good space over there to be able to do this project.”
The clerk-treasurer’s office, where residents pay their sewer bills, and Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. are not moving and will remain open at their current locations.
Seymour Housing Authority, Seymour Main Street and Leadership Jackson County, however, are part of the move along with parks and recreation, public transit, engineering, planning and zoning and the mayor’s office.
“If you swing by city hall, it’s kind of casual right now just from the fact we’re trying to move,” Nicholson said. “But people can still come in this week through Thursday.”
On Friday, business will be conducted by appointment only as staff members set up their new offices and make sure their phones and computers work. To make an appointment, call 812-522-4020.
Most public city meetings, including city council, board of works, plan commission and board of zoning appeals, will begin meeting next week in the training and conference room at the police station and parks and recreation will meet at the Seymour Community Center.
“We’re trying to make the process as flawless as possible,” Nicholson said.
During the project, there will be some employee parking available behind city hall, but additional parking is available at the Seymour Museum Center, the Reedy Financial building and in the Keach Parking Lot behind the U.S. Post Office.
The $1.55 million renovation project includes a new HVAC system, which quit working in March after a chiller went down, causing a leak and substantial damage to the interior of city hall. Currently, the building is without any heat or air conditioning.
“City hall has been getting Band-Aided for years,” Nicholson said. “When the chiller gave up, that was the final straw. In talking with HVAC companies, no one really wanted to do anything but a full replacement, and replacing it with similar equipment wasn’t the best option.”
The new system will have multiple smaller units to service different areas of the building, providing a more logical and economical solution, he said.
Other items included in the renovation project include new ceilings, new LED lighting, which will save the city money in the long run, new flooring and wall coverings and accessibility and security improvements.
Some of the interior offices are going to be rearranged, and some new office space will be created along with a third conference room.
“We’re looking to the future because there a lot of years left in this building,” Nicholson said.
The project is being funded through remaining money from a capital bond the city issued in 2020 along with a new bond that will be issued later this year that will also pay for construction of a new fire station. That new bond is being issued to replace the debt from the construction of the Seymour police station, which is nearly paid off.