City council moves into new quarters

The Cairo City Council met for the very first time in their new quarters in the former Roddenbery Hardware Co. building next door to City Hall  on Monday night.
Also housed in the building is the Grady County Museum & History Center annex.
Renovations of the downtown fixture are now complete and Pastor Johnny H. Moore of Family Worship Center was invited to attend Monday night’s meeting to offer the invocation and bless the new chambers.
A special open house of the new chambers and the museum annex is planned for Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010, and the tentative time is 2 until 4 p.m.
“Everything turned out nicely, and I know a lot of people are glad they will not have to climb those steps anymore. This is a very nice building, and I’m sure we are going to enjoy it,” Mayor Richard VanLandingham commented Monday night.
The council chamber will serve as a multipurpose room that can accommodate the meeting space needs of the Grady County Historical Society and other groups.
Approximately half of the ground level of the building is being used by the city and the other half by the Historical Society. An elevator has been installed to provide easy access to the second floor, which has not been completely renovated but is available for future use by the Historical Society.
The new council chambers feature custom stained cherry baseboards, paneled wainscoting, intermediate columns and multilayered crown moldings.
The council dais features custom cabinetry and a granite top with a waterfall edge. The seating for the council is leather and there is upholstered seating for an audience of up to 30.
Mayor VanLandingham says the Grady County Sports Hall of Fame artifacts will also be displayed on the walls of the new council chambers until a permanent display area for the hall is selected.