The Independence City Commission approves a major expenditure to improve the cooling system at Memorial Hall.

 

At Thursday's meeting, commissioners voted to spend $425,000 to replace the chiller cooling system at Memorial Hall. That is the system that cools the main part of the building. Another option was to also replace the air conditioning unit that cools the stage area. The option to not replace that unit would save the city money, but City Engineer John Garris says that system is also barely keeping up.

 

The approved funds would cover the costs to replace both systems. Commissioners also gave the go-ahead to install power generators for use in the basement of the historic building. Again, commissioners had more than one option to choose from. Mayor Scott Smith says he supported the less expensive choice that would still provide emergency power.

 

Commissioners approved the expenditure of an additional $37,000 that would allow the basement of Memorial Hall to be used as a shelter in of a winter power outage.