Ferris confirms new city hall

FERRIS – Changes are afoot in Ferris. 

The city is designing and renovating a new city hall to serve the community into the future, according to Ferris City Manager Brooks Williams.

“This facility will consolidate the majority of Ferris’s administrative services, most of which currently function out of three buildings,” he explained. “The current municipal building has been in use for many years, and the structure dates back to being used as a train station in the city.”

The city offices are in various locations throughout the city at the moment such as a building on Central now known as the Courts & Finance Building, and the Public Works Building on Main Street, which was once a mule barn. 

“These aging facilities for the courts, finance and public works are all becoming costly to maintain, and far underserve the needs of a growing city,” Williams explained. “With the move, we will consolidate the majority of employees to one building.” 

Once city hall has been relocated, the Ferris Police Department is then scheduled to move into the existing space where city hall is currently located. This change will save the city about $2,500 a month when the police department moves to its new home.

“We are very excited that our police department headquarters will relocate from the temporary building that they have occupied for several years to the current city hall building in downtown,” Williams said. 

“This will provide visibility to the community and access to our police department, as well as improved response times across the city.” 

For the moment, the Ferris Fire Department will remain in its current location until a new Fire Station Building is constructed.

The Ferris City Council approved the changes for the move on August 17. 

Williams said the 8,200-square-foot building for the new city hall will offer much needed customer service and efficiency improvements. 

The project is scheduled to be complete in late 2021 and is the latest project in a series of capital improvements over the last year that have been needed to enhance the facilities and capabilities for the City of Ferris. 

“Although constructed for the future, many design elements will be inspired by our history,” Williams concluded adding, “Angutinos L&B, LLC. is the seller and the LOI has been signed.”