Davis Board buys City Hall for $1.3M

FARMINGTON — The Davis School Board recently voted to buy the Farmington City Hall for $1.3 million.

Fortunately for Farmington, the school district will let city officials use the building until a new city hall is completed in the late summer of 2010.

City officials anticipate breaking ground on the new building, which will be located adjacent to the city park and recreation center, this summer. The city has already purchased two properties where the new city hall will be built, but the homes sitting on those parcels need to be demolished.

Farmington city manager Max Forbush said proceeds from the sale of city hall will go toward the construction of the new building. And so will $1.5 million the city has been putting away for the project and $1 million that hasn't been allocated from a general obligation bond approved by voters in 2006.

The bond has allowed the city to build a new police station, which was completed in March.

Forbush said city leaders promised that no tax increase would be necessary to pay for the construction projects they wanted to accomplish, and he doesn't foresee a need to raise taxes for the buildings.

"We're keeping our promise," he said.

Starting in January 2010, the school district will own the current city hall and will eventually use it for office space, said district spokesman Chris Williams.

The rock-facade city hall is located near the school district's current offices.

"The board believed it was a smart move to grab the building when it was available," Williams said.

E-MAIL: jdougherty@desnews.com