Furniture and rug cost taxpayers $8,200

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers EXPENSIVE PLACE TO SIT?- New furniture has been added in the Thousand Oaks City Hall lobby that might raise the eyebrows of cost-conscious taxpayers.The above ensemble, including the rug, four chairs and two sofas, cost $8,200 and wasn't purchased from a Conejo Valley vendor. Some might consider decorating by committee to be a hard way to go when choosing a sofa, four chairs and a rug, but Liz Perez, city facilities manager, said her group worked together well when they picked out the new orangecolored lobby furnishings for city hall.

The furniture and rug cost $8,200. The sofa and chairs are covered in heavy-duty fabric made for commercial use and are expected to last a long time, Perez said.

The furnishingscame from KI, an industrial furniture provider headquartered in Wisconsin.

Helping Perez pick out the warm-colored furnishings were Candis Hong, finance director; Cynthia Ross, assistant to the city manager; and John Adams, deputy finance director.

"The building is gray, and the colors in the building were all pretty much blue or green, also cool colors," Perez explained.

That's why they went with the warm color for the lobby furniture, she said.

The fire-colored furniture will provide comfortable seating for those waiting for meetings at city hall or for theater patrons, Perez said.

Before the sofa space was provided, people could sit on backless benches or lean against the wall, she said.

Lobby furniture wasn't budgeted when city hall was first built. The space where the sofa now sits was once occupied by an office desk with a smiling volun

eer offering free information about the city.

The desk and volunteer have now been moved to the side of the room. An official kiosk will be built for them with a counter instead of a desk, Perez said. - Nancy Needham