Structural repairs are progressing at Haverhill City Hall, including repairs completed to the concrete stairway at the rear parking lot.
In a memo to the city council Thursday, Mayor James J. Fiorentini said the Highway Department replaced stairs and repaired a railing between the parking lot and north entrance to city hall at a cost of about $12,000. The council approved funding this week. Other visible signs of repairs at city hall include scaffolding to repair soffits around the building.
“In a couple of areas we were concerned that pieces of the concrete might break off and present a safety hazard,” Fiorentini said. “Generally, however, the work is being done to prevent water from infiltrating into the building and causing damage. I understand the total cost is around $7,000.”
Fiorentini added the city is hiring an engineering company to assess the condition of the retaining wall between the building and parking lot. “The preliminary assessment is that we need repairs but do not need to redo it,” he said.
In early July, Fiorentini appointed city Purchasing Agent and Energy Manager Orlando Pacheco to an additional role as maintenance director in charge of planned improvement projects in and around city hall.