Mount Airy proposes buying GreenTree parcel for new police station; bond ordinance introduced

Mount Airy Town Council members discussed plans to purchase a portion of the GreenTree property for a new police station and introduced a municipal bond ordinance on March 3, 2025, to help fund construction.

Mayor Hushauer described the town’s long search for an appropriate site and said the council and staff identified the commercial corner of the GreenTree parcel as a “pad ready” location that can supply utilities and an appropriately sized parcel for a police facility. “So we’re letting the public know, we have found a piece of property, we like it, we plan on purchasing it and we plan on getting a bond so we can build a police station,” the mayor said.

Council discussion included financial and program details provided by staff and council members. The council cited a joint appraisal that valued the portion of the parcel at about $1,350,000 and said the town negotiated a purchase price below that appraisal. The council estimated the full project cost at about $6 million, with a planned issuance of roughly $4.5 million in bonds and the remaining $1.5 million to come from town reserves.

A councilmember outlined prior budget planning for the project, saying the town had set aside $500,000 in each of the 2023 and 2024 budget cycles, producing “essentially” $1 million in reserves earmarked for this purpose.

Council members said the property choice reflects site availability and the town’s need to provide a permanent, code‑compliant police facility instead of continuing to lease space. The council agreed to introduce ordinance 2025‑2 (municipal bond issuance for land acquisition, design, engineering and construction of the Mount Airy Police Station) and scheduled a public hearing on the bond ordinance for 7 p.m. on April 7, 2025.