City hall -- New or used?

To the Editor:

The last City Hall that was in a building built for that purpose was in the early 1900s on South Broadway.

A 1917 picture of that building, which also served as the fire department, shows a horse-drawn fire wagon.

In the 1970s the city purchased several buildings in the next block of South Broadway and moved city offices to them. Other businesses in the neighborhood at that time included the Tijuana Lounge, Nick's Steel Grill, and Mike's Lounge. The police department occupied the old Frisco Depot during the same period.

Later in the century when Jim Moss was our city manager the city made a deal to buy the McPheeter's Clinic building from its owners. It was remodeled and all city offices plus the police department moved to Second Street. Now the search is on for a replacement of this building.

The choices seem to be whether we buy yet another older building, one that was built for other purposes, or do we build a new facility that is exactly what the city requires? When either option seems to have similar cost wouldn't it me nice to finally have something new?

Jay Githens

Poplar Bluff, Mo.