…Even the Kitchen Sink

…Even the Kitchen Sink

A& P wants massive overhaul of Civic Center

news@theeveningtimes.com

With the audio-visual upgrades in the big room at the West Memphis Civic Center nearly finished the Advertising and Promotions Commission moved forward with finishing touches around the facility. Commissioners embarked on technical upgrades for the big flat surface meeting room and the biggest conference room on the east side of the building with hopes to attract more meetings.

New projectors, microphones, speakers, acoustic panels and computer ports were installed earlier in the summer and Commissioners heard the experts awaited only some communication lines to tie it all together.

“It’s 99 percent complete,” said Civic Center Director Kimberly Hamilton. “We were waiting on some blinds to be fitted and some telephone lines to be installed. Comcast has been here and the contractor contacted so he can come back over to finish, tie it together and train.”

Banquet seating and tables were delivered too. Commissioners shifted attention to other decorating and remodeling details during the August meeting.

Heat, an ice machine, and hot water were all men- tioned as concerns. Commissioners did approve a new HVAC maintenance agreement after the news last month that clogged units had leaked onto the new ceiling tiles. No maintenance agreement had been in place, and the fix on the fly method of maintenance was put away in favor of a preventive maintenance schedule.

The annual agreement for the routine maintenance landed with ENCOR Services Walker-J-Walker costing the city a combined $6,600 per year on the civic center and RiverPAC auditorium. The city sought bids from a few contractors but ENCOR was the only company that offered services.

Hamilton produced a to-do list with 21 items she hoped would be addressed during the upgrade process. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990, restrooms in the civic center are not handicap accessible. There is no hot water in the restrooms or on the west side of the building. Plumbing problems plague the water fountains and leaky sinks along with low water flow on the west side of the center.

Complaints about lack of heat during the winter months in the restrooms have been mentioned by civic center patrons.

Room signs, trash cans, benches, baseboards, interior blinds, replacing the broken podium, table skirts, and new door thresholds were listed for improvements.

Renovating the kitchen with commercial quality appliances included replacing a broken ice machine.

The kitchen looks like it is from a 1980’s home and features leaky pipes and has not been subject to health department inspection. New cabinets, black splashes were on the wish list too.

When all the concerns were heard, the list seemed overwhelming. City Councilor Ramona Taylor suggested the project be handed over to City Engineer Phillip Sorrell to plan and organize a way forward. The commission then authorized the purchase of a new $3,000 ice machine.

Hamilton was directed by the board to rework estimates for a specified new carpet.

By John Rech