During its annual informational retreat Friday at the Fulton Police Department, the city council received an update on plans to construct a public works facility - which would include a new city warehouse - near Westminster Avenue and 13th Street.
City Engineer Greg Hayes discussed plans for the facility, which also would house city vehicles, salt storage, city works employees and landfill trucks and equipment.
The total cost of the project is roughly estimated at $5.81 million, but Hayes noted it is still in its early stages and exact dates and figures are not set in stone to replace the aging city warehouse, which the council agreed is in dire need of replacement.
Councilman Mike West asked if the project could be done in phases in order to alleviate financial burden to the city, but Director of Administration Bill Johnson said that's not feasible.
"We have to maintain the existing facilities," Johnson said. "We'll have stuff spread all over we'd need to access. We could do it in phases, but it would create large amounts of inefficiency."
The new facilities would be near Fulton Housing Authority property and the armory, but the public works buildings will be constructed so their backs and sides face their neighbors, providing dampening for sound and lights from vehicles.