Norfolk Daily News

Tuesday – February 5, 2008

The Norfolk City Council heard more details Monday evening about the three newest potential sites for municipal offices.

Developer Paul Medelman has offered to donate to the city two acres of land with highway frontage immediately south of Faith Regional Health Services.

The other possibilities are the building leased by Nebraska Health and Human Services at the corner of Fifth Street and Braasch Avenue downtown and the former Maple Park trailer court a block north of the city auditorium.
City Administrator Mike Nolan said the owner of the office building housing the state agency has offered it with a sale price of $1.4 million.

It would fit into a campus setting for city offices with the police station and fire station nearby. But the owner also is negotiating with the state agency tenant to remain.

Nolan said it’s not true that the city undertook code enforcement action against the trailer court, which was shut down, to obtain the property, as owner Lori Miller has alleged. That property is for sale for $399,000, which Nolan said would be more expensive than any other industrial property.

The council is to begin sorting through the 14 properties that have been suggested as locations for the city offices.

During the meeting the council also heard from five citizens on the issue.

Webb McNally urged consideration of the council chambers location for new city offices with expansion potential on land across the alley at 3rd and Madison Avenue.

Dan Mauk, Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce president, suggested the council continue steps to explore shared office space with other agencies, saying that professional advice is needed on actual space needs.

Tom Schommer, coordinator of the Shared Facilities Group, said the city has done a tremendous job in encouraging a community dialogue on the issue.

Lonn Atwood, who is working on the river walk concept, said a new facility is advisable and that citizens are ready to support a forward-thinking plan.

Mark Hall encouraged the council to view the downtown as the cultural and historical center of Norfolk and said new city offices would add to that environment.

Council President Jim Brenneman said no one has objected to the need for new or updated city offices and that everyone recognizes it’s long overdue. The council has enough locations to consider, and it’s time to move forward on the project, he said.