Elmhurst council approves design phase and funding approach for new police station

The Elmhurst City Council voted to authorize the architectural design and engineering phase for a new police station and accepted a financing plan that would phase bond issuance and identify revenue sources to pay construction costs.

The council approved the Public Affairs & Safety Committee report—which recommends pursuing a new facility at the current police station site, funding the design phase with an initial bond issuance and pursuing construction financing thereafter—by a recorded vote of 13 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

The committee’s report traces the project back to a 2018 space-needs study and sets out three options considered then and since: renovate and add on to the existing building, build a new facility, or repair the existing building without addressing space deficiencies. Committee members said updated estimates have driven the project toward replacement rather than renovation. The committee included updated cost estimates from FGM Architects and a local industry review; the report said estimates for a new facility have risen substantially since 2018.

Alderman Michael Brennan, chair of the Public Affairs & Safety Committee, summarized the committee’s conclusion and timeline and stressed the operational need. "Is the current police department sufficient to carry out Elmhurst police department operations into the future? The answer is no," Brennan said during council discussion.

The finance committee recommended issuing a smaller initial bond—$3.5 million—to fund design and engineering work, with the remainder of any needed bond issue sold when construction begins. Committee members said limiting the initial sale could give the city more flexibility and the potential to take advantage of more favorable interest rates for the larger issuance later. The report also recommends structuring principal payments to increase as other city debt decreases.

To offset debt service, the committee recommended a 1 percentage point increase in the city’s hotel/motel tax to 5 percent, which the report estimated would generate about $117,000 annually, and using property-tax revenue for the remaining debt service. The report modeled the impact on an average $500,000 Elmhurst home at about $50.53 per year over 21 years (the committee’s modeling period) and an aggregate per-household contribution of roughly $1,113 over the same period; the report says those figures are projections based on current interest-rate estimates and will be finalized when the city issues bonds.

The committee also recommended using a city-owned property, 180 West Park, as temporary administrative space during construction and then selling that property after the station is complete, with sale proceeds applied to the station debt.

Alderman Ardeni (commenting during council) corrected one factual detail about the local reviewer the committee consulted: "Rob Martinelli is not an architect. He's senior vice president of construction," noting his role as a construction expert rather than an architect.

Council members who spoke in favor described the report as thoroughly vetted and emphasized public safety as a core city service. The council did not adopt a final construction contract or full bond issuance at the meeting; members approved the committee report and authorized staff to proceed with obtaining design services and the related documents needed for future council actions.

What the council approved (formal action): a motion to accept the Public Affairs & Safety Committee report and authorize the city to pursue architectural design and engineering for the police station and direct the city attorney to prepare necessary documents. Vote: 13 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

Next steps described in committee materials include issuing requests for qualifications/proposals to select the architectural and engineering firm, finalizing the bond-issuance plan with the finance committee, selecting a construction firm, and seeking council approval for any construction contract, tax adjustments, and sale of city property to help fund the project.