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When the hard hats and dump trucks clear out of City Hall and the public flows back in, citizens may be greeted by more than new furniture, repainted walls and council agendas. 

Lattés, cappuccinos and straight java from the Civic Center Cafe could greet visitor and employee alike. 

On tonight’s council agenda is a proposal for a $70,000 contract with an interior designer. That firm would decide which of the building’s furniture should be saved and which should be trashed and consult on the interior design of the sixth-floor conference room, the employee break room, the offices for the city manager, deputies and department heads, council offices, the mayor’s office – and the café. 

“The café? What café?” asked Councilmember Kriss Worthington, when reached by the Daily Planet. 

“There’s a proposal to put a small café (in the civic center building),” said Capital Projects Director John Rosenbrock. “It’s an area where visitors and employees could sit down and have a talk, with a cup of coffee and a donut.” 

He said the concept had been proposed by the city manager and mayor. The café, which would not include cooking facilities, would be contracted out to a private vendor, he said. 

Worthington was angry that the project had not been brought to the council. 

“They should bring it to us all together and not make all the deals with individuals,” he said, noting that the city will be paying high costs for leased office space for city workers who must continue to work outside the civic center building, because there’s not enough room inside. 

The café was also news to Councilmember Margaret Breland, who said it might be a good idea, but there should be more study of the space before it is installed. 

On the other hand, Mayor Shirley Dean said the café is just what City Hall needs. 

“That’s an absolutely marvelous idea,” she said, noting that some public libraries and courts have cafés in them. 

She said she didn’t believe it was taking up space where an office might be located.