Moving forward, the Ashland Board of Aldermen attempt to decide the direction of city projects at the October 1 meeting.

All bids for the new city hall building were unanimously rejected.

“All the bids came in way higher than expectation,” said Alderman Jesse Bronson.

The original proposed property for the new city hall building, was located adjacent from the Ashland Police Department.

“We had a plan to sell some property and buy the property at the corner. We had projected the cost to be $1 million to $1.2 million [for City Hall]. The bids came back at $1.68 to $1.8 million. We just can’t afford it,” said Mayor Gene Rhorer.

One of those properties include the city hall building, sold to consolidate and buy the land for the police department and area east towards Highway 63.

The consensus now stands that the lot is not suited for future city hall expansion.

According to Rhorer, there is a possibility of land being donated to the city for the new city hall project.

The city has been leasing its formally owned building, which is set to end April 2020.

“I am willing to sit down with the city and renegotiate terms that are fair and comparable,” said Dave Westhoff owner of the city hall building. “The city currently pays $2 a square foot for their lease, that we extended three months on our 1-year lease, and did this in good faith. We made a good deal by doing a 1031 exchange. Now, it’s a different picture and we need to do it right for both sides.”

~ Read the full story in today’s Journal ~

By Carson Blake

PHOTO: Boone County Bicentennial Committee members from left, Stacy Self, Boone County Commissioner Janet Thompson and Reggie Wilhite.