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Council asks staff to seek funding options after police headquarters wellness center renovation estimate leaves $295,000 gap
Summary
Councilmembers instructed staff on June 2 to consult with each councilmember and the mayor and return in two weeks with options to cover an estimated $295,000 shortfall for a proposed renovation and expansion of the police headquarters wellness center.
The City Council discussed a proposal to renovate and expand the police department’s fitness and wellness center at the Laredo Police Department headquarters during the June 2 meeting.
Assistant Chief Ricardo Gonzales and department staff said a facilities assessment and initial design work recommended reconfiguring and expanding the existing gym, improving locker rooms and restrooms, and updating HVAC and sprinkler systems in parts of the 18‑year‑old building. Staff described equipment purchases and repairs as additional costs.
City staff and the police department described a total estimated cost of approximately $471,000 for the full project. They said department trust funds could cover about $176,000 of that amount — leaving roughly $295,000 for the city to identify.
Councilmembers expressed support for officer wellness and acknowledged the age and broader maintenance needs of the police headquarters. Several councilmembers said the city should identify funding sources that do not violate the operational moratorium; city staff explained that district priority funds — councilmembers’ capital allocations for district projects — are not subject to the moratorium on city‑wide operational spending. One councilmember moved that staff consult each councilmember and the mayor about potential district priority fund allocations and return in two weeks with a funding plan. The motion was seconded and approved.
The motion did not appropriate funds at the June 2 meeting; it directed staff to return with options for covering the $295,000 gap, including conversations with council districts about using district priority funds or other capital sources.
