Construction on Ridgeland City Hall moving along

RIDGELAND — Change orders to the new city hall building here saved the city roughly $32,000 as the project remains on track, according to officials.

Three approved change orders concerned aspects of the project like parking lot asphalt and mechanical aspects of the building.

Community Development Director Alan Hart told the mayor and board last Tuesday that the change orders represented a net savings of about $32,000.

He said that the savings represented a change in the type of surface used for the parking lot.

"I am told it is better and cheaper," Hart said.

Mayor Gene McGee said he was happy to see the project saving money.

While $30,000 shaved off a $15.9 million project may not seem like a lot, Ward 3 Alderman Kevin Holder made suggestions for places those savings could be put to good use.

He said that a green space outside currently had lighting in its design but could use more power sources to attract community events.

"I am not trying to spend more money," Holder said. "But we have a great green space venue for outside events currently in the site plans and I do not think that there is ample power supply out there."

Ward 6 Alderman Wesley Hamlin asked how much that would cost.

"That is yet to be determined but it is nowhere near the amount we are saving," Holder said.



The project is currently on schedule to open December 2020.

The visible steel and block construction at the corner of Highway 51 and School Street is the new City Hall building and an elevator shaft is visible.

A more formal downtown setting has been a stated goal for a long time. Ward 2 Alderman Chuck Gautier mentioned in June after the board approved a $20 million bond issue — some of which will pay for the new facility — that it has been a goal since before he first ran for office.

"This is something that has been on the board's wishlist since before I became an alderman 18 years ago and is something our mayor has been working on for a while," Gautier said. "It is exciting to see it finally come to fruition. I hope it allows us to offer our citizens better services from a better facility."