Work under way on new Shepherdstown Town Hall

September 16, 2010|By RICHARD F. BELISLE

Richard F. Belisle, Staff Writer

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. --The ear-splitting, rock-smashing sounds that are shattering the quiet of downtown Shepherdstown this week mean heavy equipment is crunching into the old Town Hall building at 104 N. King St. and the limestone foundation under it.

Early next spring, a new two-story brick building will stand in its place as the seat of town government and municipal police department, said Shepherdstown Mayor Jim Auxer.

The replacement building will cost about $1 million, Auxer said, paid for with the town's share of video lottery funds. No local tax money is involved.

The date when the old town hall was built is hard to pin down.

Opinions on the subject among local officials range from 1940 to 1947 to 1953.

Town Hall employees are in temporary quarters during the new construction in a second story office suite in the rear of a commercial building at 207 S. Princess St. A front office in that building has been serving as the police station.

The town is paying $1,250 a month rent for the temporary Town Hall office space, said Town Clerk Amy Boyd. In addition to Boyd, employees working there are Crystal Painter, billing clerk; Patricia Dowell, accounts clerk; and Harvey Heyser, zoning enforcement officer.

Boyd said temporary partitions were installed to separate the office functions, lunch and copy room. Auxer also has office space there.

The council meets in a small room unless crowds are expected, then the meeting shifts to the Entler Hotel, Boyd said.

According to John Brady, project manager who keeps an eye on construction of the new building, it will cover 4,300 square feet on two floors.

The first floor will house the police department with its side entrance plus a town council meeting room with a public entrance in front.

All other Town Hall functions will be on the second floor.

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