A construction crew worked on sidewalk improvements on Glover Street in Twisp this week.
Will be closed to public until Oct. 17
The long-anticipated move to Twisp’s new civic building and regional communications center started this week as town staff relocated from temporary offices, but the general public won’t get its first glimpse of the new facility for a couple more weeks.
The move-in to the new space on Glover Street began Tuesday (Oct. 4). Through the transition, town staff will be working in the facility and be available by phone or email, but the building will be closed to the public until Monday, Oct. 17.
Meanwhile, construction continues on street, sidewalk and town plaza improvements that are part of the new complex. That work is expected to be completed by the end of this month or early November.
Glover Street has been closed to vehicle traffic at its intersection with Third Avenue for several weeks since the street construction began. The street will remain closed until the work is done, Public Works Director Andrew Denham said.
Mistake in utilities billing
Because of an error in the utility billing process this month, Twisp residents will receive the previous month’s bills again, according to Town Clerk/Treasurer Randy Kilmer.
“Utility bills for September were mistakenly mailed out in duplicate in the place of the correct October bills,” Kilmer said. “Correct utility bills for October will be mailed out in the coming week. If you have already paid your September bill, please disregard the duplicate.”
For information, email clerktreasurer@townoftwisp.com or call (509) 997-4081. Town Hall is closed through Oct. 16 as staff moves into the new civic building, so no walk-in service is available.
Grand opening set
At last week’s Town Council meeting, Mayor Soo Ing-Moody said the Twisp Chamber of Commerce will host the building’s official grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 29. The council approved the chamber’s request for $3,500 to provide necessary materials to support planning and staging for the event. The funds will come from the town’s hotel/motel occupancy tax revenues.
The event will include food, beverages and live music. Staff will provide guided tours.
Ing-Moody said that there will be invited speakers. She said other businesses and organizations, and at least one state agency, may also help sponsor the family-friendly grand opening, which will follow the last Methow Valley Farmers Market of the year.
“This is something to celebrate,” the mayor said. “It’s been a heavy lift.”
Indeed, the planning, financing, design and construction of the building have consumed the past 10 years, with some bumps along the way. The first construction bids came in well over the town’s estimates, which delayed the project for a year. Some features of the building were trimmed to bring costs down, and the town successfully pursued several sources of funding including a state capital grant and a federal loan.
The new civic building replaces the deteriorating Town Hall which occupied the same location, and was demolished. Construction of the new building on that site began last year. Town staff have been working out of temporary offices on East Second Avenue.
The town had hoped to move into the civic building earlier this year, but the transition was delayed by a combination of factors including the exterior construction, which has made access to the building a safety concern.
