Glenn County supervisors make move to new home

Glenn County supervisors are set to meet in their new home Tuesday inside the Willows Memorial Hall and Civic Building.

County Administrative Officer David Shoemaker said the next board meeting will be in the new chambers across the street from the county's historic courthouse.

He said the move follows almost two years of construction on the hall's upper floor, which includes new administration offices, supervisors' offices and the board room. The move began Thursday.

Shoemaker actually packed boxes in his office Monday and told staff "I'm moving" as each box got filled.

Board Chairman Mike Murray and Vice Chairman Tracey Quarne have a bet going on what was the last meeting in the old location.

They kidded one another Monday, during a special meeting to appoint a new human resources director, as to whether that was the last one or if the Nov. 3 meeting was it.

The 50 cent wager is yet to be settled, Quarne said.

But Shoemaker said the Nov. 17 meeting is the deadline.

Movers will take items over the end of the week and should have everything moved by next Monday, Shoemaker said. The new address will be 525 Sycamore St.

Supervisor Steve Soeth joined staff Thursday in moving things to the new quarters. He carried the U.S. and California flags from the old board room to the new one and set them up.

"A lot of people put a lot of sweat and time into it," Soeth said of the new facility. "It turned out very nice."

The new board room retains its original ceiling and moldings while the hallway outside kept its original wood floors and a fireplace. Reproduction materials were used where pieces were missing or rooms changed, but were made to blend in with the Art Deco period decor, Shoemaker said, during a summer 2008 tour of the facility. The building was constructed in 1928-29.

Chairs for the new board room were purchased from the late Andy Huston, who had excess theater seats to sell before his death, Shoemaker said. County staff cleaned and repainted the seats and they look nicely refurbished.

Otherwise, the space has been updated with a modern sound system and carpeting in the boardroom along with wiring for computers. A hand-etched Glenn County seal was put on the wall behind the board members' chairs and was created by a county employee, Shoemaker said.

A new heating and air-conditioning system was installed in the second floor as well, and the bathrooms were re-built or remodeled for handicapped accessibility. The county also put in a new elevator.

Construction took some time because the hall had to have some floors leveled to match each other on the second floor and new supports put in and reinforcements made to walls, officials said.

The $2 million project was covered primarily by state funding and a loan, Shoemaker said in 2008, with $315,000 coming from the county's general fund.

Veterans and the public will continue to use the lower level main meeting hall, and the county remodeled a room downstairs for veterans' use.

Glenn County's personnel and county counsel's offices are located in the lower level on the eastern wing along with the Veterans Affairs office.

Following the supervisors' move, the second story of the Glenn County Superior Courthouse will be vacant and turned into an additional courtroom, Shoemaker said, with the other rooms given to court staff.

An open house will be scheduled around Dec. 1, Shoemaker said, after staff is settled in and the new offices are unpacked.

Last-minute construction continues in parts of the building.