It may seem like an odd thing to say, but now that the City of Oak Harbor owns a bank, it’s time to decide where to build the sewage treatment plant on the property.

The city is holding a joint community 0pen house and city council workshop to gather input and discuss the history of the project at 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 16 at the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge.

City leaders purchased the Whidbey Island Bank property on Pioneer Way for $2.6 million last month. They plan to build a new sewage treatment plant in the bank parking lot; the two-story bank building came with the deal.

City Administrator Larry Cort said city officials want to hear from the community about the design and placement of the treatment plant, which will be built in the parking lot behind the building.

“One of things we’re looking at is how it will relate to the future extension of Bayshore Drive,” he said.

While the meeting isn’t specifically about the building itself, Cort said officials would like to hear from residents who have ideas on what to do with the two-story, 35,000-square-foot building.

Cort said a lot of ideas have already been proposed, from using the building for a joint library and City Hall to carving off the building from the parking lot and selling it to recoup some tax dollars.

Cort said officials are also trying to identify stakeholders and property owners who are willing to take part in an upcoming “design charette process,” a more in-depth way of gathering community input about the project.

City leaders purchased the Whidbey Island Bank property on Pioneer Way for $2.6 million last month. They plan to build a new sewage treatment plant in the bank parking lot; the two-story bank building came with the deal.

City Administrator Larry Cort said city officials want to hear from the community about the design and placement of the treatment plant, which will be built in the parking lot behind the building.

“One of things we’re looking at is how it will relate to the future extension of Bayshore Drive,” he said.

While the meeting isn’t specifically about the building itself, Cort said officials would like to hear from residents who have ideas on what to do with the two-story, 35,000-square-foot building.

Cort said a lot of ideas have already been proposed, from using the building for a joint library and City Hall to carving off the building from the parking lot and selling it to recoup some tax dollars.

Cort said officials are also trying to identify stakeholders and property owners who are willing to take part in an upcoming “design charette process,” a more in-depth way of gathering community input about the project.