Georgetown mayor and Town Council voted Monday to go forward with plans for a new police department and public works facility.
A public hearing on the new station and facility will address the proposed $18 million needed to build the facilities on August 26.
The new police station’s initial designs have it just under 12 thousand square feet, nearly double the current station’s size.
Police chief Ralph Holm says the current station is an old building with cracks in the bricks and water intrusion when it rains.
“This current building, the amount of money that's already been put into it is well beyond what it's worth,” Holm said.
He added, it’s just too small – they put a small closet into a bathroom to act as the women’s locker room.
“We have cut this building up in so many different ways over my 25 years here, and it's just not working,” Holm said.
The new police station is roughly estimated to cost $8 to 12 million and the new public works facility is estimated to cost $4 to 6 million, according to Holm.
The city approved having 25 sworn officers this year, but Holm said they haven’t hit that number yet.
“When I'm currently sitting eight people short of my approved allotment of sworn personnel, that's a big deal,” Holm said.
Holm expects a new station would help with retention.
