By: Stephanie Jacksis
COPPERAS COVE - City Hall workers in Copperas Cove will soon have to move out of that building.
The building is more than 50 years old, and a number of problems have added up over the years.
There's a roof that's causing water damage to the ceilings, walls and carpet.
"It's not just because it's so old," Council member Cheryl Meredith said, "But when it rains, it causes a problem because the roof does leak, and you can only keep fixing it for so long."
Members estimate the upkeep has cost the city thousands of dollars.
"It's cost us a lot of money," Councilman Kenn Smith said. "It's a constant maintenance and repair job. Every time you replace the ceiling tile, the stain leaks and it costs money. When we have to replace carpet, it costs money. When we have to replace communication systems, telephone systems, which we had to do entirely, that costs a lot of money. It's an ongoing battle."
And Wednesday's rains made the situation worse. A vase was put out to catch dripping water in the filing room.
The unlevel foundation made it impossible to close one of the office doors, and workers said there was previously a rat infestation.
As a temporary solution, City Hall employees will move to a different building. The city's current budget won't allow for the problem to be permanently resolved anytime soon.
"We could probably start looking at it in 2013, we're looking," Meredith said. "Really we have to watch what happens with the budget because we do not want to put ourselves into a problem area."
"We need some sort of new City Hall," Smith said. "I don't know whether it will involve a new building or buying an existing building and converting it. I just know we need a better place than we have right now."
