The Athens City Council took the first steps in building a new city hall and a new Fire Station No. 1 Monday night by selecting two separate architectural firms.

However, two councilmen questioned why one firm couldn’t do both jobs.

In August, the council heard presentations from four architectural firms –– Krebs Architecture of Birmingham; Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood of Birmingham and Huntsville; CMH Architects of Birmingham, and Godwin Barnett of Decatur.

A recommendation to hire CMH Architects to design the new First Station No. 1 on the grounds of Wellness Park at West Washington and Hine streets met with unanimous approval.

However, when Councilwoman Mignon Bowers motioned that Krebs Architecture be hired to design a new city hall on the site of the 55-year-old structure at West Hobbs and Marion streets, Councilmen Jimmy Gill and Harold Wales voted against the measure.

“Why can’t you hire the same architect for both?” questioned Gill before the vote.

Wales said he was impressed by all the firms that had made presentations.

“I’m not an expert when it comes to picking,” said Wales. “I visited Spain Park High School in Birmingham and the Miller Gorrie Building on the Auburn campus. Both of them were designed by CMH. They are both beautiful buildings and I would like to support CMH. Plus, one of their architects was born and raised here.

“I would like to see us use one of our own. If I didn’t think his firm wasn’t qualified, I wouldn’t support them.”

Councilwoman Milly Caudle agreed that all the firms were “highly qualified,” and she said it was an “agonizing” decision for her, but she said she agreed with the recommendation to hire Krebs for the City Hall job because of being able to support several firms.

Krebs designed the Municipal Police Building on East Hobbs Street where the council now meets, as well as Fire Station No. 2 in Athens-Limestone Medical Village at U.S. 72 East and Lindsay Lane.

Caudle added that when it comes time for landscape design the city should feel free to choose another firm for that job.

Bowers also said she did not “take lightly” her decision to recommend Krebs. “I want to make the decision that is in the best interest of the city,” she said.

The recommendation to hire Krebs passed on a 3-2 vote. The firms will be paid out of the city’s Capital Projects Fund.



Other business



In other business, the council approved:

• Setting a date of Feb. 22 for a hearing on amending building codes;

• Purchasing a folding pet ramp for $163 for loading animals into the back of the Animal Control truck;

• Appropriating $15,000 to the Foundation for Mental Health to use as matching funds for a HUD grant to build a 14-unit apartment building for transitional clients on Sanderfer Road. Limestone County Commission also appropriated $15,000 for the $1.6 million project;

• The overall Sportsplex Master Plan by Morrell Engineering;

• Approved Phase I of the Sportsplex Master Plan, which is not approval of expenditures, which must come individually to the council for approval. Phase I is a prioritized list that includes new fence around the soccer fields, multi-purpose field, swim complex pavilion, walking trail and additional parking, the complete cost of which would be $1 million. Council President Ronnie Marks told Parks and Recreation Director Ben Willey to work with designer Taz Morrell to trim that amount to $500,000;

• Use of debit and credit cards to pay fines in Municipal Court.