Three Rivers looking for office space, future of town hall unclear
'We do have to make some decisions around insurance money'
The hunt is on for some new municipal office space for the town of Three Rivers.
Montague town hall was destroyed by fire last year, leaving the now-amalgamated Three Rivers without a town hall.
Since then, administrative offices have been located in Georgetown and in a trailer in Montague.
Mayor Ed MacAulay says with new staff space is getting tight, especially in Montague, so a council committee has just been struck to look at immediate needs.
"The location where the town office in Montague is, is a trailer and it's just temporary. And we do have to make some decisions around insurance money and how to spend that."
Office space 'supersedes' town hall
MacAulay said under the bylaws, there must be administrative offices in Montague and in Georgetown and that "supersedes" having a town hall.
"The office needs are priority," MacAulay said.
He expects the committee will also consider the long-term issue of a new town hall.
"Once we have kind of got everyone settled and probably more engagement with the communities in Three Rivers and so on, over time we'll decide where eventually the town hall should go," MacAulay said.
Town hall not as necessary
He said people seem to be fine with moving council meetings between Montague and Georgetown for the time being.
"The town hall is not as necessary, but I may be found wrong on that," he said.
MacAulay said the insurance on the building that was lost doesn't have to be spent on building a new town hall. He said it could go toward building municipal offices.
He said the committee is scheduled to first report back to council by Sept. 9.
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With files from Angela Walker