Repairs keeping Lake Station City Hall closed after pipe burst

Lake Station City Hall is still off limits to the public six months after a faulty sprinkler system pipe burst, flooding much of the building.

Many of the portable trailers city office workers relocated to in June have been removed and most workers are back in their offices.

Inside, hallways, floors and other areas are still being painted and carpeted. Ceiling tiles are being replaced and electrical work is ongoing.

The police department was not affected by the flooding and has remained open.

Mayor Bill Carroll said Tuesday he wouldn’t be comfortable providing a timeline for a reopening because of insurance delays and back orders on carpeting, baseboard trim, and other materials.

Earlier, officials hoped the building could be reopened in November.

On Tuesday, the Board of Works sat in front of a white folding table in the clerk-treasurer’s office as wires dangled from a wall. Fire Chief Chuck Fazekas and a reporter attended the 1 p.m. meeting and a few chairs were still available, but no one from the public attended.

Typically, the board meets in the mayor’s conference room.

Mold has been removed and other environmental concerns have been rectified, Carroll said. That makes it possible for workers to return to offices while repairs are still being done.

“It’s safety first for our citizens and our employees,” he said.

Workers in the utilities office have returned and citizens can pay bills at a drive-through window.

“We didn’t charge any late fees, but it was very important for us to get the drive-through open for our citizens, so it’s easier for them to pay,” said Carroll.

Clerk-Treasurer Brenda Samuel said ceiling tiles in her office were replaced Monday and some workers have returned, but furnishings weren’t there yet.

Carroll is also working out of his office. The office foyer just got a coat of new blue paint and new LED lighting.

The city council chambers, also the site of city court, is still closed.

City council meetings are being held on the second and fourth Thursdays in the community room at Edison High School. City court proceedings are also at the same site.

“Without the schools, we’d be kind of scrambling for a place to hold us,” said Carroll. “We probably could hold it at the Fire Department, but the schools are set up for it, and it suits what we need it for.

“We have a great relationship with the schools. We helped out a lot during the referendum. And we’re good community partners.”

Still, Carroll can’t wait for City Hall to be completed.

“It’s like a waiting game, and it’s frustrating because we want to get open,” he said.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.