Montgomery County panel reviews police CIP projects; 6th District station nears completion, Olney satellite funding added

Montgomery County staff presented four police capital projects and briefed the public safety work session on March 3, 2025, recommending a $1,075,000 supplemental appropriation in state aid for an Olney satellite police station while urging the committee not to accept a proposal that would move the outdoor firearms training center outside the six‑year capital improvements program (CIP).

Susan (council staff) told the committee that three people testified in support of the Olney satellite station during public hearings and that one written comment was included in the meeting packet. She said the satellite facility will serve the county's 4th District and that design work will begin shortly after the appropriation is accepted.

David Dice, director of the Department of General Services, reported that the 6th District Police Station is nearing completion and that crews set the rooftop transformer last week. "It will be a net‑0 police station," Dice said, "which means that it will generate all of the power it consumes. We expect to have a ribbon cutting in June." Dice added that supply‑chain delays have been the project’s biggest challenge but that the project is in its final stages.

On the Public Safety Communication Center Phase 2 project, staff said total costs have not changed though design work is extended into FY27–FY28; construction remains scheduled for completion in fall 2026 and prior supplemental appropriations raised costs by about $5 million.

The largest internal dispute at the session concerned the outdoor firearms training center. Staff summarized a long‑running plan to expand the rifle range, widen lanes, lengthen the pistol range from 25 to 75 yards, add earthen protection berms, and build facilities including a weapons‑cleaning pavilion and an explosive bunker (the bunker was cited in packet materials at about $86,000). The recommended amendment would move the project outside the six‑year CIP schedule because of fiscal constraints.

Assistant Chief Darren Frank told the committee the department wants a new program of requirements (POR) to capture modern training needs — including movable‑wall indoor training space for patrol and specialized teams — and said a fresh POR would produce a reliable cost estimate. Director Dice said a POR typically costs about $100,000 and recommended budgeting a POR so staff can give the council a better cost projection.

Rachel Silva of the Office of Management and Budget cautioned that programs of requirements generally must be funded with cash rather than debt and therefore would compete with operating budget priorities. After discussion the committee agreed not to take a final vote on the firearms training center amendment at this meeting; members asked staff to return with a timeline, updated POR costs and a follow‑up discussion during the full CIP review cycle in May.

Staff committed to return with additional information and cost estimates. No formal motion or vote on the CIP amendments occurred at the work session.