By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The Alabaster Board of Education likely will hold a special-called meeting on Monday, March 25 to decide if it will rent the second floor of Alabaster’s upcoming new City Hall building.

The special meeting could come after a 5 p.m. work session at the city’s Senior Center, said Alabaster Interim School Superintendent Dr. Phillip Hammonds.

The announcement came after School Board members spoke with Alabaster City Manager George Henry during a March 18 work session about the possibility of housing the city school system’s central office in the second floor of the new City Hall, which is under construction next to the Senior Center.

During the March 18 work session, Henry said the city would be willing to rent the new second floor to the School Board for $3,800 per month. The amount would include furniture and utilities, and the city would work with the School Board to build out the second floor to the school system’s specifications, Henry said.

The city would rent the second floor to the school system on a three-year contract, and would offer options to extend the contract after the first three years, Henry said.

The city’s central school office staff members currently are housed in an office condominium at 6919 Alabama 119, which the School Board previously leased through the end of August.

Because the new City Hall is scheduled to be completed by mid-July, and because construction crews have not yet completed the new City Hall’s second floor, Hammonds encouraged the School Board to take action on the matter soon.

“The timing, I think, is very advantageous to do this,” Hammonds said, adding the $3,800 rent amount is “competitive.” “I think we are at a point where we’ve got to give our colleagues (with the city) a green light or not.”

If the School Board holds a special-called meeting on March 25, it also could vote to address several short-term issues outlined in a recent facilities assessment conducted on Alabaster’s school buildings.

The projects likely will cost about $300,000, and would include items such as roof repairs, re-keying of all school doors and other projects recommended by school administrators.

Hammonds said the Shelby County School Board is planning to address flooding issues at the Thompson High School boys’ weight and locker rooms before Alabaster finalizes its separation from the county district.