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Council authorizes purchase-contingency for Goldie Road public safety training facility
Summary
Oak Harbor authorized a purchase agreement for Units 1 and 3 of the Goldie Street Business Park for $2.75 million, contingent on feasibility work and state and Skagit County task-force funding; two councilors recused and one abstained on the vote.
The Oak Harbor City Council voted Feb. 18 to authorize the mayor to proceed with purchase-related work and execute documents for Units 1 and 3 of the Goldie Street Business Park (a regional public safety training facility) for $2,750,000, subject to contingencies and feasibility examinations.
Why it matters: City staff said acquiring an existing training facility could be far less expensive than building new. The site includes a modernized training building with a rifle range, defensive-tactics space, classrooms and 25 parking stalls, plus a vacant adjacent parcel.
Deputy city administrator and finance director David Goldman described the property as Unit 1 (a 13,020-square-foot building on about 0.355 acres) and Unit 3 (about 1.33 acres of vacant land). He said the listing price for both parcels totaled about $3.277 million and that the proposed purchase price is $2,750,000 — “about 16% less than the listing price.” He also noted a comparable new facility’s estimated cost of roughly $667 per square foot, saying the purchase price represented substantial savings compared with building new.
Goldman said the purchase would include a minimum six-month feasibility period and be contingent on funding agreements from the state of Washington and the Skagit County drug task force (SCADU). Chief Tony Slowick told council the department appreciates the city’s support and that many jurisdictions are losing gun ranges due to environmental and other constraints.
Recusals and vote: Councilors Stuckey and Wiesner publicly disclosed conflicts and recused themselves from discussions; Councilor Stuckey later recorded an abstention from the vote. The motion to authorize the mayor to execute necessary documents and to limit spending beyond earnest money plus $30,000 for feasibility to a later council approval carried 5–0 with one abstention.
What’s next: Staff will pursue feasibility work, continue negotiations and seek the contingent funding agreements from the state and regional partners before committing funds beyond the earnest money and the $30,000 feasibility cap without additional council approval.
