The City Hall in the Howard County town of Elma was constructed at the base of the water tower in the 1910s. The building’s basement houses the pump for the water tower well, and once was used as the city jail. The steps were added in 1969, replacing a ramp that used to lead to a garage door and the local city fire truck. The city hall continues to serve as the location for monthly council meetings, but most city business takes place in a separate office.