Is there a new station in the future of McMinnville Police Department? One was mentioned during a planning session and officials will be discussing it Tuesday night.
During a Preparing McMinnville for Tomorrow planning session for the department last month, McMinnville Police Chief Charlie Sewell informed officials that rent at their current facility, which they occupied in November 2009, will increase from $12,000 to $18,000 this year and increase again to $24,000 the following year.
The building rented by the department is in Red Road Business Park. Property owners are Rickey Minton, David Hill and Billy Wood, who is an alderman with the city.
Per the contract, the police department got to use 14,000 square feet rent free for 13 months. The department is currently in year two in which rent increased to $1,000 a month. In year three, it will increase to $1,500. In year four, rent increases to $2,000.
For the first 49 months in the facility, the average monthly payment is $1,102. However, it’s the fifth year that concerns Sewell.
“If we renew the contract after year four, the annual rent payment will be $68,454,” he said.
The contract comes with one renewal option after four years. If the city renews the contract, the rent increases to just over $5,704 per month for 36 months.
After the numbers were announced, Wood said he and his partners would not be charging the department $68,454 a year for rent as stated in the contract. Instead, a new contract could be negotiated.
Sewell says other expenditures are also troublesome to him. Since moving into the building $16,127 has been spent for HVAC, $975 for roof repairs, and he has an estimate of $1,450 for more small roof repairs.
Also, from July 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2010, the department spent almost $4,000 a month on electricity.
“It totaled $22,047 for that six-month period,” Sewell said.
At that time, city administrator David Rutherford reminded the board that when the department relocated from the Blue Building to Red Road Business Park, it was discussed as a temporary situation. When questioned about a possible move last week, Rutherford says a piece of land has been found for the board to consider Tuesday night.
“We have found a piece of land that would be suitable for a new police department and no, I’m not going to tell you where,” said Rutherford. “If this is something board members want to look into, I will have staff work on the numbers.”
While Rutherford would not divulge the property’s location, he did say the city is not looking at renovating an existing building as he says a suitable one does not exist. Instead, a new facility would be constructed.
The possibility of a new station for the McMinnville Police Department will be discussed during a Building and Grounds Committee meeting at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. All meetings are held on the second floor of city hall.