Mayor Propose Fire-Police Headquarters Facelift - News, Weather and Sports for Sioux City, IA: KCAU-TV.com

Mayor Proposes Fire-Police Headquarters Facelift

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By: Tim Seaman
tseaman@kcautv.com

Sioux City's Police and Fire Headquarters Building is about 25 years old.  A discussion over how to make repairs to the building came up during city budget hearings.  There are about $200,000 dollars budgeted in 2013–14 to make annual repairs. 

Instead, Mayor Bob Scott is proposing that the city fully renovate the headquarters and stop spending money on yearly repairs.  Scott estimates a facelift could run about $2 million dollars.

According to Scott, it's time to bite the bullet. 

"Well it's obvious they've been piecemealing this thing for the last three or four years it doesn't make sense to continue to do that and not gain from the problem, I think we ought to take a hard look at just doing it, biting the bullet and fixing that thing all in one year and getting it over with. Can we handle people having problems breathing and things like that. The answer is no so we're going to have to figure out a way," says Scott

If Scott's idea becomes reality, the project would likely catch the eye of taxpayers.  The director of one watchdog group told us the city does have some options. 

James Van Bruggen of the Taxpayers Research Council says,  "It's important to remember that the city does have some grant funding that may help bring that cost down now if they're able to use that grant funding to lower the debt capacity to lower the cost of the building it may be prudent to replace that building."

The Sioux City City Council meets again on February 25th to discuss the building options.  Until then, city staff will work on a proposal and estimated costs.

 

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