Chillicothe Council got the final report on city-owned buildings Wednesday evening. The year-long analysis by the firm Branstetter-Carroll was summarized in an hour-long review session.
After interviewing city officers and employees, more than a dozen of the city's buildings were described, analyzed for use and code enforcement, and suggestions were made for renovation, repurposing, or consolidation and disposal.
With all his work in the field, Mike Carroll said he had to admit Chillicothe's facilities were below average in condition. But he also said in a town like Chillicothe, it's ideal to keep downtown buildings intact and in use...by any owner.
Carroll's company is working with Fairborn, Ohio, near Dayton, and that city may be a good comparison to Chillicothe.
Branstetter-Carroll designed a large consolidated city maintenance facility there, which is similar to one of their suggestions for Chillicothe - that also includes consolidating city offices into a reorganized Municipal Building, and putting most of the police into a renovated old City Hall.
Council president Bruce Arnold said they already knew the basics of what was presented...but now the city has many details in a three-ring binder. The report can be reviewed in the mayor's office.
Kevin Coleman regularly reports on Chillicothe & Circleville councils and local culture