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Grand Terrace honors volunteers who refurbished sheriff substation; council urged to find staffing funds
Summary
Volunteers and donors were recognized for renovating the Grand Terrace sheriff substation, which organizers said cost roughly $24,000 in donated labor and materials over two years. Project leaders and law enforcement urged the city to secure funding to staff the facility so it can operate daily.
The Grand Terrace City Council on Nov. 12 recognized a volunteer-driven renovation of the city’s sheriff substation and heard appeals to find operating funds to staff the facility.
John Gallo, who led the substation project, told the council that volunteers and donations produced nearly $24,000 in work across last year’s and this year’s efforts. He said this year’s phase ran “just under 10,000,” with about 4,400 of that coming from the city, and described more than 100 volunteer hours to finish bathroom and shower facilities, lighting and other upgrades. “I will not sleep. I will not rest until we get the adequate coverage that we need in our city,” Gallo said, urging the council to develop revenue to support staffing.
Lieutenant Fry of the sheriff’s office praised the community effort and said a fully staffed substation would improve service and officer safety. “When I see what you’ve done with that place … it’s a testament that when [a resident] reaches out and asks for help, there’s no shortage of anybody that comes to help,” Fry said, adding the department hopes the facility can become a daily staffed location.
City leaders and donors on the dais thanked dozens of volunteers by name and described donated trades work including plumbing, tile, electrical, carpeting and framing. City officials noted that while the capital and volunteer work make the building usable, the city still lacks recurring operating funding to put officers on site daily; Council members and the city manager said they would explore options to generate the necessary revenue.
No formal vote or staffing commitment was made at the meeting; the council’s discussion ended with a pledge from city leaders to pursue funding and to return with potential next steps.
The certificate presentation and lengthy discussion of the substation’s volunteer-built improvements and staffing needs were the meeting’s most substantive items on public safety and budgeting.
