Construction of Wentworth Town Hall is right on schedule

By Mike Ryan

Published: November 27, 2008

Wentworth Town Hall is coming along according to schedule, said Town Administrator/Town Clerk Brenda Ward.

Construction began in either late August or early September. Ward hopes it will be completed by June.

“It’s about a 9-month project,“ Ward said.

Ward said the majority of the subcontractors working on the project are from Rockingham County.

Jeff Johnson of Alley, Williams, Carmen and King Inc. is the project’s head architect. Johnson said the town hall is about 30 percent complete and will likely be finished at the end of April or the beginning of May, as long as the weather holds.

So far, all of the framing is done and the roof is on. Johnson said they are getting ready to pave the parking lot and will begin setting the windows soon.

“Things are going very well,“ Johnson said. “We have hit a little bit of bad dirt here and there but nothing significant.“

Johnson believes he has been very fortunate. He said the Town of Wentworth has been a great client, and he had nothing but good things to say about the contractors from the Wright Company in Eden.

“It’s been a very pleasant experience,“ Johnson said.

The town’s offices and council chambers have been housed in the National Guard Armory for the past decade. Ward said the town’s records and paperwork have accumulated to the point that they needed to rent additional storage space.

Currently, the staff is crammed into two rooms filled with filing cabinets and office machinery. Aside from being a space issue, Ward said the current location creates a great deal of physical labor for employees, who are constantly moving things around.

“It will be good to get into the new building,“ she said. “I think it’s going to be a very nice facility.“

The new town hall will be approximately 6,700 square feet. It will include a large lobby and reception area; council chambers that will seat at least 60 people, in addition to council and staff; an audio visual room; a conference room; a work room; a records room and seven offices.

“I think we will be very happy with our new space. It’s large enough for us to grow into,“ Ward said. “We’ll probably feel lost in there for a while, but it’ll be a good lost.“