By Eric Stevick
Herald Writer
ARLINGTON — The Arlington City Council is hitting the road again.
After two years in the Arlington School District administration building, the city council is moving its meetings south to Hadley Hall on the Boys and Girls Club campus, 18513 59th Avenue NE.
"I think it will be more comfortable for everybody," Mayor Bob Kraski said.
Hadley Hall is much larger than the school board meeting room in the district’s Roosevelt Building, 315 French St., which is on the Presidents Elementary School campus.
The council has occasionally used Hadley Hall in the past when large audiences were expected. At the district administration building, meetings sometimes were standing-room-only, with some people spilling into the hallway.
The council meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Mondays of each month.
Kraski hopes the move will give Arlington residents in the south end of the city a greater feeling of ownership.
"It puts it in their backyard," the mayor said.
The school administration building was always intended to be temporary quarters after the longtime council chambers at Arlington City Hall, 238 N. Olympic Ave., were turned into office space for a growing city staff.
"The school district has been very gracious in allowing us to use their boardroom," Kraski said.
"They really did have a space problem, and providing space just wasn’t an issue for us," said Linda Byrnes, the school district superintendent. "They are still welcome when they need a meeting room."
City officials also say the new building meets access requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
How long Hadley Hall will remain city council chambers is uncertain. The city has been working on financing for a new city hall, which could include council chambers, and a police station.
You can call Herald Writer Eric Stevick at 425-339-3446 or send e-mail to stevick@heraldnet.com.
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