Million Dollar Unadilla City Hall to be Built before All Money is Available

The building has been bought, the plans laid out, but the money isn’t all there.  For almost 2 years, the City of Unadilla has wanted a new city hall and this year they’ll get it.
 

In about a month ground will break on the 8,600 square foot project, but the city will be about $500,000 short finishing it.

Councilman Dexter Whittaker says the new city hall will show taxpayers where their money is  going.

The city purchased an old building for $20,000. A new city hall and senior center will be built there.  

The building will also include a police department even though the city got rid of the department a few years ago. The Dooly County Sheriff’s Office has held a contract with the city to be the law enforcement agency. There is still one year left on the contract.  

Mayor Bobby West says building the police department is  the right move. “ There is no reason we should not plan for a police department. We don’t know what the future holds,” says West.  

The same uncertainty lingers over the project itself.  Currently,  the city had $750,000 for the project, but it is estimated to cost $1.2 million.

City officials are banking the passage of a new SPLOST this spring for the rest of the funds.
Councilman Whittaker says he is confident the SPLOST will pass because one did before.

As of right now if the SPLOST fails the city has no plan of where to come up with the extra money to finish the project.

City leaders hope the new city hall will help revitalize the area.