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Public questions procurement, size and community outreach for proposed police facility expansion
Summary
Several residents questioned the size of a proposed 30,000-square-foot police facility, the city’s use of outside firms, and whether local contractors were considered. Mayor Greg Knutson and staff defended the process and invited public tours and a police open house to review the project and needs study.
Public comment at the Liberty City Council meeting raised concerns about the proposed police facility’s size, procurement choices and community outreach. Speakers asked why the planned facility would total 30,000 square feet when, they said, the police currently occupy about 10,000 square feet and might only use 20,000.
Resident Dave Langston said he had discussed the project with the architect and was unclear whether the facility would be fully used. “If we don’t need 30,000 square feet in a municipality, you need to be building based on what you need,” Langston said. He urged the city to build incrementally rather than obligate taxpayers to debt service on space that may not be immediately needed.
Mayor Greg Knutson responded that the city completed a space needs study to assess police requirements: the current police facility dates to 1981 and was designed for a smaller population and fewer sworn officers. Knutson said the proposed facility includes secure entry, separate restrooms to address gender needs, confidential victim rooms, and training space, and that the citizen committee and experts recommended the project’s size. He invited the public to two open-house tours on March 19 and March 26 to view the recommended design and facilities.
Citizen Carrie Lonsdale and others told the council they were concerned that local firms had been bypassed in the bidding and consultant selection process. Lonsdale reported that a local architecture firm, 3G, had not been contacted and said she wanted the council to favor local contractors. The mayor and staff said procurement follows state law and that the city conducts RFPs/RFQs that are open to qualified firms. Staff offered to provide procurement policy information to residents who requested it.
No formal procurement decisions were made during the public comment period; council members and staff emphasized that budget and procurement work occurs in public committee meetings and that the project has been informed by a citizen committee and an external space-needs expert.
Council members encouraged residents to attend scheduled open houses and the police tours to review the facility plans and ask questions of staff and the committee.
