City works on lease to put FSA in City Center

The city of Glencoe and the U.S. Department of Agriculure and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) are in negotiations over FSA’s possible move to the Glencoe City Center.
The proposal would be for the FSA to take over the first floor of the west side of the west wing of the City Center, part of it currently occupied by the Glencoe Chamber of Commerce. The chamber office would be moved to the building’s basement and into the former community education office area, also on the west side of the City Center.
At the Sept. 4 Glencoe City Council meeting, Mayor Randy Wilson and council members Gary Ziemer and Dan Perschau were appointed to negotiate a lease with FSA officials.
City Administrator Mark Larson said not all the financial numbers have been put together yet, but the lease agreement needs to be in place and submitted to FSA by the end of last week.
The FSA plans call for six offices for the staff, a break room area as well as a technology (IT) room.
Larson said the FSA staff and city staff could share conference rooms as needed within the City Center. The two bathrooms in the west wing also would have to be remodeled to federal handicap standards.
As to moving the chamber of commerce office, Larson said the old community ed room in the basement now includes the building’s new elevator and has been used for storage since the City Center was remodeled.
He said additional remodeling work would be needed to allow the chamber to move in, and the room will need to get heat and air conditioning installed.
The basement room is the location for the library’s book drop box, too, Larson said.
Also, a unisex bathroom is planned for the basement area, Larson said, since the old basement cafeteria space is now being utilized more by groups like the local 4-H clubs.
For the complete article, see this week's Chronicle.