Finance Committee - 12/18/2019 Page 6
ON THE QUESTION
Alderwoman Harriott-Gathright
What are we having done?
Kim Kleiner, Administrative Services Director
Good evening. Kim Kleiner, Director of Administrative Services. So we brought it to you quite quickly. Legal
and Risk are still reviewing the contract but it’s time sensitive. So we want to be able to have you back in the
chamber in time for the budget meetings. In order to do so, we will need to have the drawings approved by the
end of the month or the beginning of 2020 in order for them to start assembling the furniture and working on
the furniture which they will complete a lot of the work off site. They will start renovations to the actual
chamber around the beginning of February — around February 1*' in the hopes to have the chamber completed
by March 16".
Mayor Donchess
Can you describe the overall project?
Kim Kleiner, Administrative Services Director
Sure. So all the desks will all be replaced. The benches in the gallery will be replaced. They'll be painting.
They'll be carpeting. There will be a separate RFP that will be issued for technology upgrades because that’s
going to be handled from the CTAB funding. You'll have a center entrance and two entrances on each side.
Originally the thought was to reshape the desks but now it is thought that really this set up makes the most
sense so we'll continue to have the horseshoe this way. All the desks will be new — oak furnishings. They will
be connected in the front or appear connected but they will be individual desks in back.
Alderwoman Caron
| think this is great. It’s a long time coming and I’m glad to hear we’re going to have the IT communications
and lighting as part of this project. | think this was when Mayor Davidson was here was the last time this was
really upgraded. It’s a long-time coming and I’ve seen the carpeting. The paint is going to be the same but the
carpeting and stuff is going to change. | think this is great. | think it’s well overdue especially the IT part.
Thank you.
Kim Kleiner, Administrative Services Director
From what | understand, these need to go away.
Alderwoman Klee
Yes and | appreciate it being done also. | don’t wear light colored clothes anymore because I’ve gone home
more than once with green sleeves from that. I’m always asking them to clean these desks. Yes we get green
sleeves. If any dampness from something that you have here but | am appreciative of the IT and letting these
go away. | know when we’re across if someone has it just right, it’s like blinding you. It would be nice to see
these gone. | know Steve a couple of times has said he’s going to have to wear sunglasses in here. Just at
the right angle it just glares at the other people.
Alderman O’Brien
To Ms. Kleiner | just have — somebody at home looking at the desks. They really probably on TV don’t look
that bad but they’re metal, and they’re ancient, and they’re well shop worn from many aldermanic boards sitting
