Georgetown’s council finalizes plans to acquire land for its new police station and public works facility.
Georgetown is planning to purchase a 2.66 acre parcel from Sussex Entertainment Enterprises where they’ll build both facilities.
Town council originally voted in favor of the projects in August. Plans were later deferred and then considered in a referendum in November, which passed by only 13 votes.
Georgetown police chief Ralph Holm said this is just another step in the process.
“Once the agreements on the land purchase have been made, then we can go a little more seriously into finalizing the plans, the outline, the plans of the building, the layout… So tonight’s [Monday] a big night, but it's really just a formality.”
The referendum decided the town will fund the project for the new facilities, which will be next door to one another and will likely share a public courtyard. The combined cost for both facilities is not to exceed $18 million.
Georgetown police chief Ralph Holm says the new police station will address the former facility’s deficiencies, adding restrooms in detention pods and a sallyport for transporting detainees from the parking lot to the building.
The new station will be across the highway from town. The current location is just a few blocks off the Circle.
Holm said he believes most votes against the new facility were due to location.
“Our new police department is not necessarily where our patrol officers are… Generally speaking, they're going to be in their cars, which are mobile offices. So, the main thing I wanted to get out to people was it doesn't matter where the building is, the people that are serving them are going to be in their cars and they will be in the town.”
Holm said he expects the facility will be open in the next two years.
