Rexburg officials present $16.75 million bond plan and site choice for new police station; residents raise traffic and property-value concerns

City of Rexburg finance and public-safety officials on Oct. 15 outlined plans for a proposed bond that would finance a new police station, saying the city would ask voters this fall for roughly $16.75 million to help pay for a project the city estimates at about $19.6 million.

The proposal includes a 1.5–acre site off Pioneer Road. City Chief Finance Officer Matt Nielsen said the city has saved “about close not quite $3,000,000” toward the project and that the bond would supply the bulk of remaining funds. City officials said they bought the Pioneer Road property in advance for $1.3 million; the seller retains a right to repurchase the land if the bond fails.

Why it matters: City officials and their consultants told residents the current downtown police facility is a retrofit that lacks modern, code-compliant space, room for growth and the structural and electrical resiliency required of an "essential facility" under the International Building Code. Officials said a purpose-built facility would allow the department to meet future staffing and evidence/processing needs, house training and community spaces, and include room for future expansion.

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