The Bainbridge Island City Council has approved a professional services contract with Mackenzie, Inc. to design a joint facility for the Bainbridge Island Police Department and Fire Department.

The approved contract will cost the city $35,000, since costs for the design are split between the fire department and the city.

City staff selected the firm out of four applicants in January.

Staff has since worked closely with the consultants to outline and define the scope of work.

“They are off and running and working hard to keep us on track with the aggressive schedule that we have set out,” said Deputy City Manager Morgan Smith.

Over the next month, the firm will identify the conditions and limitations of the existing police station, develop requirements for future facilities and propose design concepts for future facilities.

The assessment will also consider the potential of project where the two departments share a site but occupy separate buildings; a combined public safety facility, in which the departments share a building; and a stand-alone police facility.

“The goal is to try and complete all of the community engagement and get to a final report before we get into summer,” Smith said.

The consulting team will hold its first public meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5 at Fire Station 21 on Madison Avenue.

Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the scope of work and the general project schedule with the consultants.

It will be the first of three community engagement meetings.