Trending
WEST POINT – The former Madison Township Meeting Hall is still standing, but it may not be that way for much longer.
Despite some consideration during Wednesday's meeting, Madison Township trustees decided to hold off for the time being on any plans to demolish the former meeting hall, which sits about 20 yards away from the new township garage.
The former meeting hall, once an abandoned garage, served as the township's administrative offices and meeting site from 1980 until this past June. The new garage was completed last year and now serves as the administration's meeting site and offices, and also houses the road department's equipment and township records.
Trustee Wayne Chamberlain had made the motion to demolish the structure, noting the upcoming decrease in temperatures and the work that will be needed on the former meeting hall.
"My recommendation is that we shut the water off and tear the building down," Chamberlain said.
Acting in his dual fire chief duties, Chamberlain made the recommendation this past June to permanently relocate the township's offices and meeting site to the new garage after he found the structure unsafe for further use. He pointed out that the old building's roof had experienced leaks, the hall was insulated but without air conditioning, and the mold issue in the walls created safety concerns.
Trustee Roger Walker, however, suggested keeping the facility, with the idea of using it to store some of the road department's smaller equipment, such as weed whackers and push mowers.
"I say we keep it, paint it and keep it," Walker said.
While discussing the idea of a new roof for the meeting hall, Chairman Gary Williams didn't believe that it would cost a lot for a new roof there, while Walker discussed how much it would cost to repair it along with other needs. Further discussion followed on how it would be demolished and what would be removed off of the building, including the tin on the outer side of the structure.
Ultimately, Chamberlain's initial motion to demolish the building died for a lack of a second, and the discussion was tabled for a future meeting following a motion by Williams.
"Maybe we need to think about it a little bit before we actually decide to tear it down because it is a building," Williams said.
Meanwhile, Chamberlain motioned for plans to hold an open house for the township sometime in October, to which the public will be invited to view the garage and see the township's new truck, which is currently stationed at Hill International and is anticipated to be in the township's possession at any time now. Coffee and donuts would also be provided for guests.
More information on an open house, including an exact date and time, will be discussed at the next board meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 27.