Leighton Township officials still want to do business in a new and more spacious township hall, but they say they need to seek options to reduce costs of such a move.

The board has been discussing the lack of space in the current facility and the possibility of building a new hall adjacent to the Leighton Township Library site, but the projected cost caused an attempt to “think outside the box.” Officials, after making a call during the meeting to architect Dan Bode, decided to table a proposal to proceed with a $1.8 million project.

The price tag and potential debt was too steep, so a brainstorming session Thursday evening produced three options that might be less expensive:

• Instead of building a new structure adjacent to the library, build a second story addition, saving on excavation costs of about a half millions dollars.
• Making the township hall an addition, an expansion to the library with a firewall between the two facilities.
• Constructing a smaller structure, but making it two stories.

Bode, architect with The Architectural Group (TAG) of Grand Rapids, told board members over the phone that the library is not designed well for a second story and he recommended against it because it would add fire sprinkling and elevator expenses.

“The more practical option would be to expand the library building and include a firewall between the buildings,” Bode said. “You will have added costs in water and sanitary sewer, but there should be some cost savings.”

Board members also are showing increased interest in doing the project in phases by having an addition constructed, but only completing the interior work later as needed for offices and meeting rooms.

Bode cautioned, “When you do a construction project in phases, it typically costs you more money.”

Township officials indicate they don’t want to wait too long because right now United Bank is offering to finance such a project at 2.25 percent for at least 10 years.

Trustee John Hooker said, “I know this is a lot of money and I don’t want to have to spend it, but that 2.25% is almost unheard of.”

The township’s attorney recommends doing with project with a bond, in which the board would have to have notice published and the public would have 45 days to respond.

“If we delay (the project start) now, we’re probably moving the construction back at least six months (to the summer of 2016),” Supervisor Steve Deer said.

Treasurer Char Troost led the charge against moving forward with the original proposed project.

“We’re looking at almost two million dollars,” she told her colleagues. “The interest would be $80,000-plus every year for the next 20 years, leaving us no wiggle room in our budget.

“I just can’t do that to the township,” she added. “I have to be more fiscally responsible.”

Clerk Mary Lou Nieuwenhuis responded, “I agree, but if we wait and don’t do something now it may never happen.”

The clerk particularly was impressed with the low interest rate offered by United Bank and didn’t want to lose that by hesitating for too long. Furthermore, she said the township already has expended some money to have an architect’s proposal presented, and she’d hate to see that money go for naught.

Nieuwenhuis for some time now has said the current township hall, built in 1984, just isn’t big enough any more to handle the clerk’s, treasurer’s and supervisor’s records. She said because the township has grown so much in the last 20 years, the needs are greater, particularly in providing adequate space for meetings and for elections.

Hooker noted that Leighton this year alone has seen an increase of $5.8 million new business and residential start-ups and he doesn’t foresee that slowing down soon.

“When the current building was built in 1984, we were told that we would never need any more room for at least 20 years,” Hooker said. The hall is 31 years old.

Township officials are stressing they intend to move forward with the process of building a new township hall, but they want to get the best bang for the buck and reduce the expense as much as possible.

PHOTOS: Space problems have gotten so out of hand that this file cabinet with township records took up space in the meeting room Thursday night. At right are citizens Don Dunstan and Jack Seuss, who contributed to the discussion. They attend Leighton meetings almost as often as board members.

The Leighton Township Library may have an addition in the near future if the board agrees to a construction project.