Should the city move ahead with its building consolidation plans, there are a number of considerations to be made, say Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce officials.

In a presentation Monday evening at city council’s public input session on its $30-million capital budget proposed for 2015, chamber chair Josh Clark and past chair Philip Fitzgerald highlighted ongoing work that will need to be done throughout the building consolidation project.

A major focus of the 2015 capital budget and provisional plans into 2017 is on the project, which will see city services moved to two locations.

Many operational services will head out of a number of buildings around the city to a large structure proposed off of Range Road and Two Mile Hill.

A number of services used by residents day-to-day will move to a smaller structure to be built off Second Avenue on the same site it will share with city hall.

The project is expected to cost $55 million, with the city anticipating to spend $21 million in 2015, $33.8 million in 2016 and $1.5 million in 2017.

As Fitzgerald noted Monday night, with the city expecting to take out $29 million in low-cost financing for the project, it’s important that’s all options are investigated to ensure borrowing costs are kept as low as possible.

A broader discussion on potential partnerships with the private sector and the possibility of outsourcing some services should also be looked at for the possibility of saving money.

Later in the session, Rob Fendrick, the director of corporate services, confirmed that if the budget is approved, the city would go to a request of interest to identify potential lenders.

He also noted other options for funding will also be explored to get the amount the city borrows for the project down as much as possible.

Later in the meeting, Clark confirmed under questioning by Coun. Dave Stockdale that could mean looking to the private sector for services such as waste pickup or snow-clearing.

While Clark said it wouldn’t necessarily mean providing 100 per cent of such services, he argued there’s a number of models the city could look at in terms of partnering with the private sector.

Local participation in the building consolidation is also important, Fitzgerald said, asking the city to ensure local contractors benefit from the project.

He also noted the plan points to the need for work to be done on the revitalization of downtown with a number of city employees who will move from the downtown core up to the new building on Two Mile Hill.

While there will also be others moving to Second Avenue, most are already working in the downtown area.

As Fitzgerald pointed out, the move could mean fewer employees heading out to a local restaurant or coffee shop on their break or doing a bit of shopping in the area simply because they won’t be working downtown anymore.

Work to revitalize the downtown could help ease the absence of customers local shops and restaurants experience with those who work in the neighbourhood.

Finally, Fitzgerald suggested a quarterly report as the project moves along to keep residents and businesses up to date.

The project has the potential to benefit the economy, he said, emphasizing the need to consider the various issues as it moves along.

Mayor Dan Curtis reminded Fitzgerald and Clark it won’t be until the budget is passed that the building consolidation work can begin.

Before that happens, council will get a report from staff on the public input session, where the chamber provided the only presentation of the night.

That report will come forward next week, with council set to vote on second and third readings of the budget on Dec. 8.