And again a major cost item awaits the municipality of Meppel. After the Ogterop theater (more than 20 million euros) and a new swimming pool, or a thorough renovation to it (at least 10 million euros), the list of possible thorough renovations of millions can now also include the town hall and the municipal wharf. It is expected that around 7.5 million euros will be needed for this.
The town hall is 20 years old, the municipal yard 30 years old. The interior of the two buildings is dated, very outdated, broken, dirty and does not comply with health and safety legislation. In the town hall there are poor acoustics in consultation and meeting rooms, there are safety problems at the reception, in the hall, in consultation rooms, at the counter and the council chamber requires a future-proof design. “If we want to continue to perform our work for society properly, now and in the near future, improvement of the working conditions for our human capital is necessary and precondition,” the municipality writes.
Modernization and post-corona. Two changes for the municipality for which there is currently no room for in the buildings. For example, since corona, more work has been done at home, so fewer workplaces are needed, but more meeting and meeting places. The municipality describes that the ‘concentration activities’ take place at home, and that the office must be the place to meet and work together.
The biggest changes seem to come in the city hall. The words ‘hospitality’, ‘privacy’ and ‘security’ become central to the plan of the hall as you walk into City Hall. For example, a meeting center for external parties must be built and the council chamber will be overhauled. That room will be multifunctional, where, in addition to meetings, you can also get married. An ‘openly accessible and inviting grandstand’ must be created for visitors. Now there are only some chairs on the side for visitors. There will also be separate areas for the press, the Executive Board and support staff. They are now all sitting at separate tables in the corner.
In terms of digitization: there will be extra sockets and large screens in the council chamber. Meeting rooms will have fixed hybrid meeting systems and the offices will have more desks where you can also work standing up. In doing so, the municipality hopes to create a working environment that can ‘compete with other municipalities’.
It means a new major investment for Meppel. For the past 20 years no money has been planned in the budget for a renovation for the town hall and the same has been true for the municipal yard for the past 30 years. Money, which the municipality actually lacks. The municipality recently came up with an action plan to put the finances in order in the coming years. That is why the municipality only wants to do what is necessary and solve the problems that exist sustainably and for a longer period of time.
The costs are currently estimated at 6.5 million euros, but the municipality is already taking the rising costs into account and therefore adds 20 percent. The council is asking about 7.5 million euros.
Two years ago, the town hall was already renovated once to house the police. For example, a pond made way for parking spaces where police cars can park.