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City Commission authorizes ballot language for half-cent sales tax to fund police relocation and facility upgrades
Summary
The City Commission voted to direct the city attorney and administrator to draft ballot language for a proposed half-cent sales tax to fund a priority relocation of the police department, potential city hall work and a community legacy fund; public input and site-specific cost comparisons will follow.
The City Commission on March 26 directed the city attorney and city administrator to prepare ballot language for a proposed half-cent sales tax intended to fund long-term facility needs, including a priority relocation of the police department.
Presiding officer President outlined the plan, saying the measure would "leverage the economic assets we have in area to fund these services" and argued it would reduce reliance on property taxes while offering offsets such as reduced utility-bill impacts and a small community "legacy" fund to support future sustainability. "This is the right move for us and we do have long-term needs both facility-wise and operationwise that we can meet," the President said.
Under the proposal, the top priority would be relocating the police department, which officials described as cramped and lacking indoor garage space and adequate equipment storage. A speaker who identified himself as a former police chief told the commission the situation had worsened over seven years and stressed the operational need to protect vehicles and equipment from severe cold.
Commission staff (identified in discussion as Mike and Devin) said several downtown and city-owned sites have been identified as possible locations but noted staff had not yet contacted individual property owners or done detailed site-by-site cost analyses. Officials said a public input process would follow approval to place the question before voters, and that cost comparisons would show trade-offs (for example, higher construction costs downtown versus other sites with different community benefits).
Commissioner Kowski moved and Commissioner Hatch seconded the motion to authorize staff to draft ballot language. After a roll-call vote the motion carried.
Next steps: the commission authorized the city attorney and city administrator to draft explanatory ballot language; commissioners said public outreach and more detailed cost estimates will take place before a final site decision or construction contract.
