At a Windham Town Council workshop on Tuesday, Town Manager Anthony Plante discussed upcoming renovations to the town office annex. Using a draft of the proposed floor plan as a guide, Plante pointed out where offices from the main building would be relocated and talked with councilors about accessibility and how the town might best use the space.

Plante described the project as “a fairly simple renovation.” It is unusual, he noted, that a “public agency,” like a town government, undertake such a project without consulting professional help.

It had been decided earlier that the town not hire an architect to draw up the plans because of the extra cost. Instead, Plante has been in close contact with department heads and staff to gather insight on how the annex space, and space created by vacating offices, could be designed to ensure the “most public use.”

The tax collector’s’ and town clerk’s offices are scheduled to be moved into the town annex along with the finance and town manager’s offices. In the annex, tax collectors and town clerks will have open counters, much like what exists now in the central building, to help the public with their taxes, motor vehicle registrations and various licenses issued by the offices.

The annex’s wide hallway, or lobby area, would provide space for the public to wait in line without being cramped, Plante said. He also suggested that kiosks, similar to those seen in banks, be set up in the hall where residents could fill out forms. The lobby area would also include public restrooms for their convenience.

The main entrance to the town offices would also be moved to the annex.

“The idea is for the entrance to the annex to become the main entrance,” Plante added, “so that when people come in, it’s clear where to go.”

The current entrance to the central building would be locked for security purposes, Plante said, and those who wanted to use the gymnasium would enter through the side doors.

Councilors then inquired about accessibility and how the public would be able to get from the annex to offices in the central building. There had been talk earlier of a stairwell and “chairlift” for the mobililty-impaired that would go up as far as the first floor.

“The only problem I have, and I’ve had it since the beginning, is the chairlift,” Councilor David Tobin said.

Tobin asked if the town could install something like an elevator that would go up to the second and third floor. Councilors discussed many other options and Plante said he would be looking into different possibilities.

As for the space created by the vacating offices, the assessor’s office would be moved to town clerk and tax collector’s old space. A small conference room may be separated for meetings with taxpayers and potential developers.

Community development and planning offices, currently on the third floor, would then be expanded into the assessor’s current office next door, Plante said. It is yet undecided what will happen to the economic development office on the second floor. It may be moved to the annex or it may be moved next to community development. Plante did suggest in his notes that the parks and rec department be expanded to include the economic development’s space on the second floor.

Even with the added space, the town has yet to address how to store all its many records and documents, Plante said. Currently most records are kept in the offices themselves. At least, they now have more space to store them, Plante said.

With the details laid out, Plante suggested that the council consider hiring a “project manager” who would oversee the renovation, work closely with the town and help subcontract out construction work.

The council agreed with the idea and gave Plante permission to start advertising for a renovation manager in hopes of keeping the project moving forward.