An artist's sketch of the proposed Umatilla City Hall.

By Karen Hutchinson-Talaski

Staff writer

UMATILLA The preliminary drawing for the proposed Umatilla City Hall and Library has nearly everyone in Umatilla very excited.

According to City Manager Larry Clucas, everyone from the city council, library board, and the Friends of the Umatilla Library love the design by Gail Sargent Architects.

“Everyone is sold on it,” he said. “It fits what we are in Umatilla. It’s a bold statement without being pretentious.”

The plans, which still have to go out for bid, include a library, conference room, city hall offices and other amenities that fit well with the future of Umatilla. Architectural design elements include arches at the entrances and around some of the windows which mimic the bridge crossing the Umatilla River at the westend of town. Circular outside seating areas and landscaping enhance the outside of the building.

Clucas estimates that the building will begin either the last quarter of 2007 or the first quarter of 2008. He believes it will take a minimum nine months to get financing on the $2,100,000 project, bids for construction and other items. The $2.1 million includes furnishing the new building as well. Part of the money is being raised by the Friends of the Umatilla Library, who is applying for grants and doing fundraising to raise their portion of the building.