Essex Town Hall will be seeing over $6-million in improvements thanks to council approval.
During Tuesday's meeting, council was presented with a report to move forward with looking for a contractor for the construction and expansion of the current Town Hall with a budget approval of $6.3-million.
Currently staff is split among Town Hall and the Gesto Office building, causing several challenges such as the cost to maintain two facilities, lack of communication between departments, and the public not knowing what facility to go to.
The cost estimation to construct a brand new Town Hall would range between $23-million and $25-million.
The expansion to the current Town Hall would see another main level floor, which would feature new council chambers, as well as more office space, and a second level which would feature new washrooms, a lunch room, and space for future growth if needed.
Part of the funding for the expansion will be provided through reserves, however $2.8-million will be long-term debt to ensure there is no increase to taxpayers for the construction.
Councillor Joe Garon says this is well deserved.
"2018 until now we've had more growth, and we've managed to do a lot of capital projects with the money we've had to work with, while controlling our long-term debt, so timing is everything. Council's in the past have kind of kicked this can down the road, and I think we're dealing with it now. I think our employees deserve a better workplace, I think our residents deserve the better workplace."
Councillor Katie McGuire-Blais says she's grateful there will be no impact to the taxpayers.
"Our staff have done a really great job in making sure that we are in a financial position where we don't have to increase taxes to get what we deserve, that the Town deserves, that our staff deserves."
Mayor Sherry Bondy says this is a win for everybody involved.
"This isn't something that has happened overnight, and I believe it's going to be an economic driver because we'll be driving more people to our downtown, they'll stop, they'll get groceries, they'll have lunch, we'll have more of our staff having eyes and ears out - taking a walk, buying lunch. So to me it's a win-win-win."
The Town is also looking to sell the Gesto building following the completion of the expansion - which would go towards the cost.
A new HVAC system will also be added throughout the entirety of the Town Hall. No one will be relocated as the expansion will be added first, staff would be shuffled to the new section while renovations are completed.
Shovels are anticipated to be in the ground in the next three months, with an estimated completion time of January 2026.