Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

The Monroe City Council passed a resolution At its regular Tuesday (May 26)night meeting that will make major changes to two the city’s landmark buildings. The fifty two year old Jack Howard Theater and the Miller-Roy Building on Desiard St., are slated for major changes in the coming months, The renovation project at Jack Howard will consist of replacing sound proofing and fire proofing material that is in the building. The material needs to be replaced because it has asbestos in them, as that constitute a safety hazard which must be addressed. This is done to protect those that perform during events and also those that work at the structure. The building has passed its inspections, but after discovering the problems associated with the material in question, and through consultations with Department of Environment Quality(DEQ), it was clear that the project had to move forward. Council members voted 5-0 to advertise for bids for the renovation project.

An ordinance up for final adoption to restore the old Miller-Roy Building was also on the city council’s agenda. Ben Marshall, who is part owner of the Miller-Roy Building, a historic landmark located on Desiard St. minutes from downtown Monroe, asked the city council to amend the zoning map. The amendment would change the B-1 Neighborhood Mixed Use District, to a B-3 General Business/Commercial District. The change would entitle the building to operate as a elderly/retirement housing, retail and offices. Marshall acknowledged that the “building is not in great shape”, but believes that it can help restore a once vibrant area of the city. He noted that Miller-Roy is a historic building that just happens to be on the city’s condemn list. Mayor Jamie Mayo told Marshall that the building “had been on the list” for a long time, but it is still standing. Mayo said that the project has his full support, Marshall said that he hopes to have the finances completed by October, and plans to begin work in spring 2021. Council members voted 5-0 on the ordinance.

Council members passed several other resolutions, two of them that would assist the Monroe Fire Dept. Those resolutions would authorized Mayor Mayo to “apply and accept” a Firefighters Grant from FEMA for funding to pay for personal protective equipment(PPE), and also a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant from FEMA to purchase 3,000 smoke alarms. Council members adopted a resolution accepting the base bid of Jabar Corp., in the amount of $540,263.20 and Alternate No.1 in the amount of $12,285.50 for the water mains along five city streets.