WARREN COUNCIL Renovate or rebuild? 3 want answer

The city is facing spending $1 million over five years to make buildings comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Three council members want to know if it would be less expensive to sell off city-owned property and build a new facility than to repair the old buildings.
Councilmen Gary Fonce and Robert A. Marchese, both D-at large, and John Homlitas, D-3rd, are sponsoring legislation for requests for proposals for a feasibility study on city-owned properties.
The legislation is on the agenda of city council's regular Wednesday meeting.
Fonce said at a finance committee meeting Monday that he hopes the study will determine the feasibility of selling off some city buildings and properties and building a "one-stop shop administrative building."
Many of the city-owned buildings need repair and the city is facing paying $1 million over five years to make buildings comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
One building also would provide safeguards for money collections, rather than having money collected at several different locations throughout the city, Fonce said
Getting proactive
Council members acknowledge that it may not be feasible.
"But we won't know, we won't even have an idea if we don't start doing something more creative, more proactive," Marchese said.
"The point is you never know until you try."
Greg Hicks, city law director, said the requests for proposals will give the city an idea of what can be done.
Requests for proposals "are done all the time with architectural and engineering," he said. "It tells what [a company] can do for your at what cost before you determine what you want."
Fonce pointed out that a $500,000 roof was put on one city-owned building within the past couple of years.
"We're not saying let's go out and build a new building, but let's see if we can be proactive," he said.