Schematic plans for a new City Hall in Lenoir City have been completed by the architectural and design firm McCarty Holsaple McCarty with input from the various city departments intended to take up residence in the building.

The plans call for a three-story City Hall building and a one-story Fire Hall separated by an open green space. The City Hall portion of the municipal complex would be he new home for most of the city's departments, including the Clerk's office, parks and recreation, municipal court, the mayor and city administration and building and codes enforcement. It also includes an entire floor dedicated to the Lenoir City Police Department.

A representative from the design company, Dave Collins, addressed the city council at a workshop Monday and explained the company has fulfilled its contracted work to this point and is ready to move into the next stage of the project, design and development. He said the process could be completed in about six months, which would result in construction plans that could be put out to bid.

Vice Mayor Eddie Simpson questioned if moving forward with the project is a good idea considering the city's current economic conditions and the possibility of a continuing trend of less revenues.

Mayor Matt Brookshire addressed the concerns saying the design and development stage of the project has been approved for funding. He said the city has two notes that will be paid off in 2013, which amount to more than $200,000. If the construction is coordinated in consideration of paying off those notes, those funds could be used to pay the debt on the new City Hall, Brookshire said.

City Councilman Tony Aikens asked if the plans could be altered to include Lenoir City Utilities Board office space, which would allow LCUB to share in some of the cost associated with the building. No official action could be taken by the board because it was a workshop, but Collins said his company could produce some basic plans with LCUB included if the city leaders requested.

Cost estimates for the project put it at more than $9 million, which Collins said is currently about $350,000 higher than previously estimated because the soil needs more work than originally anticipated to support the weight of a three-story building.

The project also includes some optional plans for future growth, such as expansion of the Police Department's lower level to include some unfinished space. Collins said it is cheaper to make that type of an adjustment during construction, rather than trying to add on in the future.

The building has been designed to match the current architectural style of the city, and Collins said much of the inspiration for the look of the building came from the old Lenoir City High School.