City admin. building may get sign

CELINA - City officials are considering adding letters or a sign to the front of the administration building on Main Street to inform people where the base of operations is located.

In 2013, the city moved into spacious new headquarters in the former First Financial Bank, and since then, some council members have pushed for a visual marker for the building.

"We have a beautiful building," councilman Fred LeJeune said. "At the very least, we need something out front on Main Street."

SignPro Imaging of Lima rendered designs at no cost to the city, safety service director Tom Hitchcock said. They also provided a cost estimate. Two sets of 15-inch cast-metal black letters spelling out "Celina Administration Building" - for the front and back of the building - would cost $6,473, plus $1,652 for installation. The cost for one set of letters just for the front would be $3,236, plus installation.

An alternative bid would spell out "Admin." instead of "Administration" for $4,4675.12 for two sets, plus installation costs. The cost for one set of letters would be $2,237, plus installation.

Councilman Mike Sovinski said he would prefer spelling out the entire name of "Celina Administration Building." His colleagues agreed.

They also agreed letters for the building's back are unnecessary.

"People who park in the back are parking in the back for a reason - because they know where they're going," councilman June Scott said.

Scott was overall unhappy with the design proposal.

"This looks somewhat generic. This is the presentation of our city building and I think it should be exhibited correctly," he said.

Hitchcock noted the design is just a proposal. The city must solicit bids if officials decide to proceed with signs or letters, he said, encouraging councilors to mark up the design with suggestions.

Councilman Myron Buxton suggested councilors add the city seal to a sign to be placed on the front facade.

"It's too plain," he said about just installing letters.

"That's expensive," Sovinski replied.

Council members eventually asked administrators to solicit bids and designs for the project.

The city purchased the former First Financial Bank on Main Street for $1.95 million. Officials borrowed internally from the electric fund to acquire the bank building, paying itself back over seven years at a fixed annual rate of 0.21 percent with a total of $220,987 in revenue from the water, wastewater and general fund.

The three-story, 36,000 square-foot building houses the customer accounts, parks and recreation, police, engineering, auditor, tax, law director and administrative departments.

Police Chief Tom Wale, as well as detectives and other personnel, conduct administrative, managerial and police work on the first floor. However, dispatchers remain across the street in city hall.