The city administration has not survived to this day. Initially, it was wooden, and the tower above the eastern entrance served as a backup water tower for the city's water supply and was built of brick. Later, the entire building was faced with brick. However, the hydraulic equipment in the tower was never installed before the start of World War I, and the project was not completed during the war.

Two hundred thirty years ago, the city council was elected by the privileged class, and about one hundred people from a population of twenty thousand had the right to vote. The council consisted of the city head and six deputies who dealt with the improvement of the city, food issues, trade and industry development, as well as overseeing order in the markets and protecting class rights. Meetings were held weekly. The city head sat in the center of the hall on a special chair, while opposite him were the townspeople, out-of-towners, foreign guests, notable citizens, and merchants. Many did not aspire to run for the council. Notable merchants and other citizens were reluctant to engage in city affairs, as not all possessed sufficient literacy and could think on a city-wide scale. Sometimes criminal cases were initiated against them, as, according to Interior Minister S. Lanski, they resorted to illegal means to avoid positions such as city head. Those who did become deputies behaved modestly and accounted for every penny spent. In the report for 1801, for example, the purchase of sugar, tea, and vodka for various needs is mentioned.

The administration building quickly fell into disrepair due to dampness and was dismantled in the 1960s, depriving the city of an expressive architectural element in the center. Later, a new building was constructed on this site, which housed the House of Knowledge.