Less than 30-days after the Frankfort City Council gave then-Mayor Chris McBarnes consensus to proceed to the next step on a proposed Public Saftey Facility, Councilman Eric Woods informed the full Council that “given our financial constraints, the way we are using LIT money, the discussions have basically showed that trying to do the fire at the same time (as police a station) is probably not feasible.”
Councilman Woods delivered the news during the old business portion of the Monday, March 9, 2020, City Council meeting after being asked by Mayor Judy Sheets to provide the Council an update.
“I have had some discussions with Judy and then some on-and-off with the finance committee discussions over the last few weeks,” said. Councilman Woods. “And, the issue we have folks and I think everybody knows is that the police department that had been talked about now for, I think three years solid if not more, The (proposed) location has been multiple locations. The previous Mayor (Chris McBarnes) definitely wanted to see it at the airport and that’s fine that he wanted that and proposed that and it did come to the Council. I believe we agreed by consensus that that was a reasonable place if nothing better came up. The problem though, I think we have, is this last-minute attempt to make it both a police station and fire station.”
Public Saftey Facilities are being built in other communities; however, Councilman Woods stated the City faces financial constraints in doing such a facility here.
“Although you are seeing public safety facilities go up in other communities and I think it makes sense financially and logistically in other places. But given our financial constraints, the way we are using LIT money, the discussions have basically showed that trying to do the fire at the same time is probably not feasible. This was backed up by Gary with Reedy (& Co – the City’s contracted financial analysts firm).”
The City could use planned annexation to add a fire station on the west side.
“So, the discussion kind of went along the lines of we all know we are going to need an engine company heading out west as we grow this community out to the west. Maybe we should consider adding that and the potential manpower to our annexation plan which is imminent.”
“I think all of the facts are there. I think the growth we are seeing, the infrastructure the county is laying in, it all makes sense. Public Saftey is probably the one thing the public will understand the most when we start talking about the plan and what is needed infrastructure wise.”
Taking a step backward if closing a firehouse to build another.
“And, the other thing here is I have talked to other people, and I am sure you have to. The notion of having to close an existing house station here, such as station 2 or 3, to make this new one happen out by the airport seems like it is moving backward.”
“So, if we can keep that and how our City is covered, especially given how we are set-up with railroad tracks, think that is in the communities best interest we push for that.”
“Of course we will not know anything until we really get into the annexation plan, but it seems doable and I am confident, and the Mayor is confident that the Airport Authority Board would still want to do business with us on this because we all know it is going to happen eventually.”
Regarding the February 10, 2020, Council meeting when the consensus was given to proceed to the next step, Councilman Woods explained there was some misconception in the community.
“There was, I think, a public thought we had okayed this plan last time and we had not. We (the council) just took it under advisement as a potential location.”
Councilman Woods would like to see CVS west facility explored again as a possible solution.
“So, I think now is the time to back-up and re-addressing the CVS west issue. I, myself, would like to see maybe one more shot for that as a police station, but to me, the important thing was the fire station being done the right way.”
Councilman Clarence Warthan spoke in support of making sure the police station was done correctly but does not support revisiting CVS.
“I have been on that committee all three years, I think,” said Councilman Warthan. “I agree the police station should not be cut back to try and get a fire station. I would like to see the police station fully done with the money we have available to do that.”
“I do think we need to add a fire station out there in the future and probably the sooner the better for the airport as well as us. As far as the CVS, we have tried that a couple of times and I am tired of trying, so I am not for that, but I am for the other part.”
Councilman Joe Palmer spoke of the railroad tracks and wanting to ensure fire protection was not cut-off.
“As most you know, I was on the fire department for quite a while,” said Councilman Palmer. “And, as long as there are tracks in this town there is a potential of getting some areas cut off. So, I have a hard time closing any fire station. I am not opposed to building a station out west somewhere, but I am in favor of down the road of trying to add some firefighters.”
Councilman Megan Sheets, who is also a member of the Board of Works, stated she wants the Council to mindful of looking at the longterm when making the decision to build a new police station.
“I think it is paramount importance to proceed with the police department with the list they find important and we do not scale back that list because we’re looking ahead in the future not wanting to build a police department for the next 20-years, we are wanting to build one for the next 30-50-years if that is at all possible, so we are not revisiting this so soon,” said, Councilman Sheets.
At the end of the discussion, Mayor Sheets asked for the Council’s Police Councilmatic committee to meet and work with the Council’s Finance committee to develop potential solutions.
The next City Council meeting is Monday, March 23, 2020, at 7 p.m. The next Board of Works meeting is immediately prior to at 5 p.m. Both meetings are held in the City Council Chamber at Old Stoney.
