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St. Helens council discusses moving forward on police station site, possible design cuts to fit budget
Summary
Council and staff said the city can likely build a new police station at 1771 Columbia Boulevard within available funds if some nonessential items are deferred; no formal purchase vote was taken but staff recommended moving forward with due diligence and a 90‑day option period.
St. Helens city staff told the City Council on May 21 that the preferred police station site at 1771 Columbia Boulevard remains the top choice and that the project can likely be built with current funds if some nonessential items are deferred.
City Administrator John Walsh told council members the design team and contractor believe the core building and layout could be delivered on budget by scaling back some appurtenances — for example, reduced landscaping and deferring a nearly $300,000 backup generator — and by postponing sale of the existing station until after the move.
The recommendation to proceed includes executing a purchase-and-sale agreement with a 90-day due-diligence period. Walsh said the agreement and seller review are complete and that staff could begin due diligence while the design team refines value-engineering options. He characterized the trade-offs as largely cosmetic and nonfunctional, saying the facility would be “fully functional” without the deferred items.
Council members asked for additional financial details before formal action. One councilor asked for a clear accounting of when arbitrage penalties on bond or reserve funds would stop; staff agreed to provide a detailed report and timeline. Council also discussed how proceeds from selling the existing police property would be used and noted that they would likely retain the building until the new station is operational.
No motion or vote was taken in the work session. Staff said they could proceed with site due diligence under the proposed contract timeline and return with refined cost figures and options for any deferred items.
The conversation also touched on a proposed utility fee increase tied to public safety: at the budget committee the idea of a roughly 30-cent monthly public-safety fee was discussed to help cover the project. Council members noted selling the current station could reduce the need for the fee but emphasized proceeds and timing remain uncertain.
Next steps outlined by staff: continue value-engineering with the design team, provide a detailed financial/arbitrage timeline to council, and complete due diligence during the 90-day option period if council chooses to proceed to execute the purchase-and-sale agreement at a later public meeting.
