Resident urges council to act on aging police station; part‑time officer to retire under state rule

Cascade — Public comment at Monday’s city council meeting focused on public-safety facilities and staffing.

Resident Ed Carney urged the council to sell the city library and use alternate buildings for a new or interim police station. Citing building size and repair costs, Carney said the library is "too big for a police station and too expensive to fix" and recommended exploring a recently listed building owned by Jerry Volk and a rentable unit in the industrial park as interim locations.

In staff reports, Fred told the council he received a letter from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy indicating part-time officer Mark Platts will reach the academy age limit (Platts turns 66 on May 11) and so cannot continue as a part-time officer. Fred said Platts has agreed to work prom on May 2 and that city staff will likely look for a replacement; staff also mentioned the possibility of creating a non-sworn security position so Platts could continue supporting events if he is willing.

Why it matters: The condition of public-safety facilities and the availability of experienced part-time officers shape the city’s ability to staff events and respond to local needs. Any decision on selling city property or relocating departments would require later formal action by the council and budget planning.

What’s next: The council set a public safety campus workshop for March 16 at 5 p.m. for police, fire and EMS to discuss options; staff will pursue recruitment to replace the part-time officer and determine whether a security role is feasible.