Camas City Hall will get a fresh coat of paint

Camas City Hall is going to get spruced up, and the work will begin this week.

Last night, the Camas City Council approved an expenditure of $37,900 to fund the exterior painting of City Hall. The contract was awarded to First Cascade Corporation of Lake Oswego, Ore., the lone bidder.

During the Oct. 6 workshop, City Administrator Pete Capell told the city council that the new colors will “blend in with the natural environment, as the trees change color.” They will include a base color, with trim and accent colors. Camas interior designer Carma Zarosinski of Carma for Design provided assistance with the color scheme selection process.

Capell said the work could begin as soon as today, in an effort to take advantage of the stretch of rain-free weather predicted for the next several days.

Future plans for the City Hall exterior include the addition of new lighting fixtures and a “green wall” or “living wall,” system that will be built outside of its main entrance on Northeast Fourth Avenue.

Supported by a metal frame and a masonry wall, it will be covered with 21 panels filled with soil and a variety of different types of plants. An irrigation system will also be installed, and the design will include a new sign with the City of Camas logo.

“The ones I’ve seen look really attractive,” Capell said, adding that the goal is to put the project out to bid and award the contract soon, so that construction work can begin on the green wall before the end of the year.

The cost is expected to be approximately $30,000.

The 25,000 square foot City Hall building was constructed at 616 N.E. Fourth Ave., in 1967. It currently houses the finance, public works and fire departments, as well as the city administration and mayor’s offices and city council chambers.

According to Capell, the planned exterior improvements will provide the building with an updated look.

“It will give us an opportunity to dress up the front of City Hall a little bit,” he said.