Vidalia — Vidalia took its first step in the development of a new city complex Tuesday evening.

The Vidalia Board of Aldermen passed a motion to “start the process,” Mayor Hyram Copeland said.

And work on the project will start today.

Copeland said he will be meeting with an architect today to discuss plans for the new complex, which will include a new city hall, fire department and police department.

Current cost estimates indicate the new complex could cost as much as $4 million.

The next step in for the project is for the city to purchase land for the new complex to be built.

And while no sale has been finalized, the currently named site is adjacent to where the city’s new recreation complex will be built.

“It would make a terrific site,” Copeland said.

The most appealing part of the land is the price, Copeland said.

The plot the city’s currently looking at is 10 acres and sells for $17,000 an acre.

Copeland said other comparable sites in the area were more than $1 million.

“It’s a great deal for us,” he said.

And while Copeland is pleased with the price, city department heads, like Vidalia Police Chief Ronnie G. “Tapper” Hendricks, are happy they could be getting new offices.

“We just don’t have any room,” Hendricks said. “The city is growing and when the city grows the department grows with it, but our building has not grown.”

Hendricks said the departments break room has even been converted into office space.

“We just don’t have the room over there,” he said.

Copeland also said the growing city is part of the need for the new complex.

“We’re building for our future,” Copeland said. “And this is part of our future.”

And Copeland is counting on Vidalia’s growth to help to fund some of the new complex.

Copeland said since the city’s collected sales taxes have doubled over the past years, he’s confident they’ll continue to grow and provide funding for the complex.

The city will also apply for grant funding and any available money from the federal stimulus package for the project.

“We’re going to pursue any avenues we can as far as monies are concerned,” he said.

In other news, Vidalia residents will start paying 6 percent less on their electric bills in the next billing cycle.

Copeland said since the cost to provide the service fell, the rates also dropped.