Rubenstein Center instructor Travis Hamrick and cadets install the newly crafted Parsons City Council Bench in Council Chambers. The new bench allows council members to be more visible and prevents residents and guests attending Council meetings to hear and see members, and allows better visibility for those making comments or presentations. The bench was designed and built by Rubenstein Center Cadets in Hamrick’s building construction class. Also pictured are Parsons Mayor Dorothy Judy and Recorder Bruce Kolsun.
PARSONS – For many years, members of the Parsons City Council have struggled with the configuration of their chambers.
During meetings, council members sat at tables facing one another, but had difficulty seeing presenters and residents of Parsons as they came to ask questions or address issues. And residents who attended the meetings sat on the perimeter of the room, facing council members backs.
In July, that all changed thanks to the cooperation of Parsons City Council members, Parsons Mayor Dorothy Judy, Parsons City Administrator/Treasurer Jason Myers and the cadets at the Rubenstein Center. Myers said he thought the council configuration where guests were seated around the room facing council member’s back needed changed.
“I thought it was rude and unprofessional to have our backs to our guests,” Myers said. “I discussed my concerns with Mayor Dorothy Judy. She felt the same way and gave me the go-ahead to find a solution.”
Myers said he spent several weeks reviewing office furniture catalogs and websites seeking a solution to their dilemma.
“I could not find an affordable council desk that would meet our needs,” Myers said. “That is when I turned to Travis Hamrick and Junior Helmick with the Kenneth ‘Honey’ Rubenstein Center. I knew their construction class built podiums and office counters for numerous agencies within the county.”
Myers said he met with Hamrick and Helmick in the Parsons City Council Room and discussed the kind of council bench Parsons needed.
“They assessed the project and felt their students could complete the project,” Myers said. “The original estimate was about $1,400.”
Myers said as the project progressed, Helmick sent him updates including photos of the progress.
“I’ll have to say that I was blown away with the finished product,” Myers said. “The bench turned out better than what I had envisioned. From construction to onsite assembly, their quality of work and attention to detail are among the best I have ever seen. It doesn’t compare to anything we could have purchased from any office furniture vendor.”
And the project came in under the estimated budget at a cost of just over $1,100.
Mayor Judy said the desk has made the meeting room much better.
“Now we don’t have residents and guests sitting behind us and we are able to see and hear them and they can see and hear us,” Judy said. “This has really brought organization to our Council Chambers. The Rubenstein Center Cadets did a great job and we want them to know how thankful we are. It is a perfect fit for our needs in that room.”
Helmick said the Rubenstein Center was pleased to work with the Parsons City Council to complete the council bench project.
“After our instructor went and met with council, our cadets went to work on designing and building the bench,” Helmick said. “Week before last a few of our boys and instructor Travis Hamrick went down and installed the bench.”
Helmick said the class is part of a simulated workplace and students run the class just like real business where they each have a position in the company and clock in and out learning how a real business works. The name of the class is Blackwater Construction and said they have helped many entities throughout the community and have built such things as picnic tables, trash receptacles and other items throughout Tucker County.
Construction of the council bench took about two months to complete.
