Hillsboro City Council chambers moving back to municipal courtroom

The regular meeting of the Hillsboro City Council scheduled for Monday, Feb. 13, will be held in the Hillsboro Municipal Courtroom at the Highland County Justice Center. Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings said the move back to the municipal courtroom was so the meetings would have a better atmosphere for council, and for the public. 

The municipal courtroom had been used for council chambers until the construction of the Hillsboro fire station, 204 North East Street, with its community meeting room, in 2010. Previously, council had met at the Hillsboro Public Access Station on North High Street. The public access building was torn down in June 2010.

"I never felt the city council meetings in a fire house ... it just didn't seem like a permanent arrangement," Hastings told The Highland County Press on Friday. "It seemed like a 'make do' situation. Having it in the Justice Center seems like it's a little more edifying. It seems like a better place for council members and citizens alike." 

Hillsboro Council President Lee Koogler said that his concern is making certain that a proper record of the meeting can be kept, and that council is willing to give it a try. 

"A request by the administration was made to look into moving the council meetings to the Hillsboro Municipal Courtroom," Koogler said. "I wasn't necessarily opposed to it, but my greatest concern is having the appropriate recording equipment to conduct the meetings and keep a record. They discussed it with Eric Daniels, who is our information technology guru for the city, and he said it could be done." 

Koogler said Hillsboro Municipal Court Judge David McKenna was consulted, and he agreed. 

Hastings said he felt, "the current chambers didn't have much atmosphere in the firehouse room, and there are other things we could use that room for. The courtroom will be more dignified." 

Council will meet Monday, at 7 p.m. The Justice Center is located at 130 Homestead Ave. 

Council's finance committee will meet prior to the council meeting at 6:15 p.m. for a final review of the 2012 budget.