Wilsonville Mayor Rosemary Liveoak wants to freshen the city’s image with a city hall renovation.

Built in the 1960s, the current city hall occupies two separate buildings divided by an alley.

The city’s six staff members shuffle across the alley, and council meetings are held at Wilsonville Elementary School because there is no meeting room at city hall.

The renovation has been a long time coming, Liveoak said.

The city first discussed a renovation six years ago, but plans never materialized. As the city has waited, building prices have risen.

The council opened bids for the renovation during Monday’s Council meeting, with prices ranging from $481,000 to more than $700,000. Original cost estimates were $325,000.

Liveoak doesn’t want to let cost increases prevent the city from finishing the project, however.

&8220;I think it’s something that should have been done a long time ago,&8221; she said. &8220;City Hall represents your town. There’s not even a place to meet and greet people.

&8220;It’s time. We’ve outgrown the space. We need office space and a meeting room.&8221;

The proposed renovation would join the two buildings and create both office space and a meeting room. The city built a new fire station in 2004, freeing-up space on one side, Liveoak said.

Town clerk Kay Ray looks forward to working in a roomier, more-organized building.

&8220;Right now, it’s just real old,&8221; she said