Hartland residents press board over proposed police, fire and village hall site on neighborhood parkland

Dozens of residents told the Village of Hartland board on July 14 that they were surprised and upset that a proposal to build a combined police, fire and village administration building would use part of a neighborhood park27s baseball diamond along Hartbrook Drive.

The residents said the village did not sufficiently notify neighbors before the proposal reached the board; village leaders and department chiefs said the idea followed a 14-month needs analysis and that only the baseball diamond at the park27s south edge would be affected while other park amenities would remain.

The debate matters because the village is considering long-term, capital spending and a site selected to place public safety services closer to parts of the village; residents said replacing parkland is not a simple exchange and asked the village to use more direct outreach before advancing plans. "What is difficult to understand and, frankly, disheartening is how a decision of this magnitude involving the conversion of our parkland like Harpork Park could advance with so little public awareness or engagement," Hartland resident Kelly Bridal told the board during public comment.

Village President Jeff Fannerstil said the board has been working on the need for new facilities for more than a year and that the process began with a needs analysis for the police department and then expanded to include the fire department because simultaneous construction can reduce costs. "This has been worked on for about, I'm gonna say 14 months," Fannerstil said. He told residents the board had investigated other sites, including a downtown vacant building and the former Gateland lot near Sweet Dreams and Beebel27s True Value, but that some parcels were not for sale or were otherwise unsuitable.

Police Chief Jamberitz, who answered residents27 questions at the meeting, said the planned building would not occupy the entire park. "We're not looking to take over the entire area," Jamberitz said. "It would basically be that baseball diamond right along Hartbrook Drive. Everything to the north of that parking lot would stay intact." He said the village planned tours and open houses once architectural plans and engineering are further developed.

Fire Chief Jim Jeffords described operational limits of the existing fire station in arguing for new facilities. "When I first started, there were 47 members that lived in the village of Hartland. Right now I have 11 people that live in the village," Jeffords said, adding the 50-plus year-old fire station has structural and operational problems and limited bunk space. He said the department may need additional full-time staff in coming years to meet call demands and to avoid situations where equipment cannot be deployed because of staffing shortages.

Residents pressed three lines of concern: transparency and notice of the proposal, the choice of this particular parcel because it is village-owned, and the loss of park amenities and green space. Several speakers suggested alternatives the village should consider, including underused downtown properties or other municipally adjacent parcels. "If you're picking that property because you've already got it paid for and you already own it, it's not just about the cost of what you already own," Tim Walters said. "Think about the cost of if you put the police station there, how much would it cost you to recreate a park somewhere similar with the river and the other stuff that's associated there?"

Village officials responded with several immediate reassurances: the village intends to hold public tours of proposed designs, open houses and special listening sessions; the village will send targeted email notices and post meeting materials; and staff said the baseball diamond would be replaced at another park as part of planning. The Park Board chairman told the meeting the replacement field is already "in the works," though the replacement plan had not been finalized at the July 14 session.

President Fannerstil acknowledged residents27 frustration at the timing of public notice and said staff would step up neighborhood outreach. He said the board reduced earlier cost estimates and is trying to keep the project affordable: "We worked really hard to get that price down from $34,000,000 down to $24,500,000 up to $29,500,000 somewhere within there is where it's going to fall," he said, describing a range rather than a final contract price.

The board did not vote on the project site or on any contract at the July 14 meeting; discussion continued and village leaders said no room layouts or final site plans have been approved. Officials repeatedly described the project as still in early design: architectural renderings and engineering work are forthcoming, and staff said they planned open houses once that work is complete.

Votes at a glance 2D actions recorded at the July 14 meeting (summary): - Motion carried to take up a previously tabled proclamation for Ben Askren at the meeting. (Motion moved and seconded; recorded as carried.) - Motion carried to approve contractor payment No. 2 of $260,907 to Wolf Paving for the 2025 paving program. - Motion carried to approve voucher payments totaling $912,318.29 (which included the paving payment above). - Motion carried to approve a special-event permit for Palmer27s Steakhouse27s 10th event gala, Sept. 14, 2025. - Motion carried to approve a restricted-species permit for six chickens at 524 Penbrook Way (applicant: Terry Johnson). - Motion carried to send a conceptual review for an addition to Lake Country Playhouse (221 East Capitol Drive) to the Planning Commission. - Motion carried to table consideration of adopting fees for mobile food vendors to the next meeting so staff can return with proposed fee amounts.

What's next: Village officials said the public can expect targeted notices and at least one series of open houses and listening sessions to review renderings, engineering and alternatives before the board takes any final vote on siting or funding. Officials also encouraged residents to sign up on the village website to receive notices for planning and village board agendas.

The July 14 session included an extended public-comment period during which residents and board members reiterated both the need for modernized police and fire facilities and the desire to preserve parks and neighborhood character. No formal land-use or construction approvals were adopted at the July 14 meeting.