Most city offices moving to West Cinnamon Complex starting Tuesday, Sept. 5

Except for the Finance Department, all city officials, primarily the administrative folks – city manager, clerk, assistant city manager – will be ensconced in the 711 West Cinnamon Complex by Tuesday.

However, the finance people won’t be making a move until the end of the year while a space in the existing Cinnamon Complex is completed. Until that move happens, Lemoore residents may continue to pay their water bills and make other financial payments at the current building on Fox Street.

The move has been a while in coming. Most of the city’s departments, other than the fire and police departments, already reside in the Cinnamon Complex – Community Services and Public Works primarily.

At one point in its history, the Lemoore City Hall housed all the city’s major departments, including the Volunteer Fire Department. Councilmembers used to meet upstairs until the existing council chamber was constructed in the early ‘90s.

The city’s population and its needs outgrew the small original structure.

According to Lemoore City Manager Nathan Olson, several issues account for the move, including ADA (American Disabilities Act) needs. The structure does not have an elevator, which limits the upstairs use. “We wanted to make city services a one-stop shop,” he added insisting that by the end of the year, all the city’s services will be in one place – minus the police and fire departments.

He said the cost of renovating the existing building was prohibitive. “It was an exorbitant amount of money,” he said.

“All the city’s services (except finance) will be under one roof starting Tuesday (Sept. 5),” said Olson.

The city is considering several options for the existing building once the city’s departments leave. Office space, a possible museum, additional room for the fire department have been considered.