After being closed and locked since the pandemic in 2020, the front doors of Strathroy-Caradoc will be reopened to the public. This coming from a 6-3 council decision this week to open the doors with Councillors Brennan, Pelkman and Kennes voting to keep them locked.
CAO McKibbin provided a report to council that was not included as a public document on the agenda. myFM was provided this report by an anonymous source and it listed numerous potential renovation and realignment costs to the front of the house at town hall if the doors were to be unlocked. These costs were eventually communicated by Deputy Mayor McGuire this week to not be relevant for the most part as the motion was only to reopen the doors but the current new customer service area would still be in effect through the side doors of town hall.
Mayor Colin Grantham says there was some concern as to what the motion was actually asking for.
In viewing the report, myFM also learned that at least 12 municipal staff members had sent letters to the CAO expressing concerns over safety and security. As far as when the doors will be open, that is yet to be determined after municipal staff iron out the logistics to get that done.
Council has approved a recommendation to direct the CAO to have the front doors of City Hall unlocked during the normal business hours of the Municipal administration. Included in the approved Notice of Motion were recommendations to have the front doors of City Hall unlocked one-half hour before all scheduled Council and Committee meetings and to have the blue film on the front doors removed. The motion recommended that the approved changes to City Hall’s front doors be completed within 30 days of the passing of the motion.
Written by: C. Soares