New City Hall needed, but only being discussed informally thus far
Ephrata City Hall, located at 121 Alder St. SW in Ephrata, is still serviceable but city staffing needs are quickly outgrowing the facility. While no formal action has been taken to move forward with replacing the building, it will likely need to be considered relatively soon.
R. Hans Miller/Columbia Basin Herald
EPHRATA — A new city hall for Ephrata has been talked about for at least 15 years, but isn’t on the immediate horizon, according to Ephrata City Manager Ray Towry. However, that doesn’t mean one will not be needed as city staffing continues to grow to meet the needs of residents.
“We’ve certainly outgrown this space, so it’s out there on the horizon at some point,” Towry said.
While staff are being accommodated in existing facilities, Towry said the Ephrata Police Department has outgrown its office on the back portion of City Hall, and new staff, including a city engineer and a new clerk, will need space to work in. The city’s Parks and Recreation staff are likely to be moved to an empty office at the Ephrata Recreation Center, and Towry said it was likely a fair assessment that the city’s current facility isn’t meeting the city’s needs in the long run. The police department’s space is definitely too small for current needs and additional officers that are expected soon.
“They’ve got people in closets and garages, or at least former garages that we’ve remodeled into usable space,” Towry said.