Water damage from Baker City Hall’s leaking roof earlier this winter likely will force the city council to continue meeting at Quail Ridge Golf Course for at least two more months, City Manager Barry Murphy said on Wednesday, March 12.

The most significant damage was to council chambers, on the north side of the second floor at the 122-year-old building.

The city hired workers to remove the ceiling on the eastern one-third of council chambers, and the plaster walls at the northeast and northwest corners of the room.

Crews also removed carpet throughout council chambers.

The plywood subfloor did not need to be replaced, Murphy said.

Murphy said the city’s insurance policy should cover a “large majority” of the cost to remove damaged items and replace them. The insurance policy has a $1,000 deductible.

He said the city has spent about $30,000 so far to remove damaged materials. The city will send those bills to its insurance company for reimbursement.

City officials noticed water damage in the basement in early January, after a snowfall followed by warmer temperatures and record-setting rainfall on Jan. 3.

Officials then found water damage in a storage room in the finance office, directly below council chambers, and in council chambers itself.

Danielle Schuh, the city’s assistant public works director, said the leaks were caused by ice building up in the northwest and northeast corners of the roof. The damage wasn’t widespread, she said, and workers will need to patch or replace some drains, seams and sections of flashing damaged by ice. A roof contractor who examined the entire roof didn’t find any other needed repairs, Schuh said.

Schuh said the city is waiting for a final report from the insurance company, including the amount of the claim. The city will then start planning repairs, including in council chambers.

Schuh said many city employees and others, on seeing the exposed brick walls after water-damaged plaster was removed, said they like the historic look of the brick.

She said it might be possible to leave some of the brick walls as they are rather than covering them with plaster or drywall. That could potentially even be the cheaper option given the cost of plaster, Schuh said.

Murphy said the city council plans to continue meeting at the city-owned golf course. If there are conflicts, as the course opens for the year, the city has other options for meeting space, he said.