Waterloo council chambers renovation nearly complete

WATERLOO | The City Council is planning to move home next week.

With a major renovation of the Harold E. Getty Council Chambers in City Hall nearly finished, council members expect to convene in their traditional meeting space Monday for the first time in 15 weeks.

"The contractor did a great job," said Mayor Buck Clark. "It's going to be quite a different look with more modern amenities. It will leave a very positive impression."

Failor-Hurley Construction of Waterloo was awarded the $220,000 contract which involved remodeling the room with new carpeting, ceiling tile, window treatments and furnishings. The work included new audio and video equipment and a wheelchair ramp.

New finishes replace much of the wood-paneled feel of the chambers while the ceiling masks what had been stains from past water leaks. The old pews for audience seating have been removed, and new chairs were being loaded in Thursday.

City Clerk Suzy Schares said a large portion of the project is electronics that may not be ready to roll by Monday.

The equipment will allow the meetings to be recorded for broadcast from the basement studio instead of paying camera operators in the room.

"We will have remote cameras linked to downstairs," Schares said. The broadcast "will be a little better, but it will get us closer to the point they'll be great."

Council members eventually will have data ports and tablets to provide paperless agendas for use during meetings. The project allows "electronic voting" for council resolutions, but no decision has been made on whether to do away with the voice roll calls used now.

Television screens have replaced the video projector used for presentations now, and the sound systems for both the council chambers and adjoining Mollenhoff Room have been separated so both rooms can be used at the same time.

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Waterloo council chambers renovation nearly complete