Photo gallery: Kingsport's new city hall
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Matthew Lane
Reporter
KINGSPORT — The Board of Mayor and Aldermen held its first official meeting in the new City Hall on Monday afternoon.
The work session lasted just under 90 minutes and took place in the BMA’s new board room, located on the third floor of City Hall (formerly the Regions bank building on Broad Street). In addition to reviewing the agenda for Tuesday night's cegular meeting — also scheduled to take place in the new City Hall — the BMA heard status reports from the Kingsport Neighborhood Commission and on Aerospace Park.
Deputy City Manager Ryan McReynolds said that the renovations to City Hall are essentially complete, about 99%, and that the various city departments will begin moving into floors three through six later this month.
Kingsport will also assume control of floors one and two later this month. McReynolds said the plan is to have all city departments moved into the new building by July 1 — the start of the 2022 fiscal year.
The new City Hall consolidates more than 100 employees from six offices to one location. Renovations to the building began in fall 2019 and are estimated to cost about $5.5 million. Kingsport purchased the building in 2018 for $2.82 million. The deal included the six-story building and a 72-space parking lot on New Street.
The Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen held its first official meeting in the new city hall Monday afternoon. Its new meeting space is located on the third floor of the six floor building. All seven members of the BMA were in attendance.
Kingsport's new city hall is located at 415 Broad St., once home to Regions Bank.
Mayor Pat Shull looks over an agenda during Monday afternoon's work session.
A Justified Automated Collections Kiosk — or JACK — is located in the drive-thru window of city hall. Residents will be able to use the kiosk to make various fee and service payments to the city.
Chad Austin, the city's water services manager, greeted folks at the new city hall on Monday, while also directing them to the third floor meeting space.
During regular meetings of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (the first and third Tuesday's of the month), elected officials and the city manager will sit in these chairs.
A view of Glen Bruce Park from the third-floor meeting space of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
Since the pandemic started, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen have been live-streaming the work sessions on social media, since members of the public have not been allowed to attend. In recent months, the work sessions have been open to the public, but the city has continued to live-stream the meetings.
Matthew Lane
Reporter
