Residents are invited to join a community conversation on the location of a new Bainbridge Island police station next week.

The city is considering several potential locations for the new building, including a stand-alone facility near city hall and a combined fire/police station off of Madison Avenue.

The Bainbridge Island City Council decided last week to give the public an opportunity to weigh in before taking a vote on a co-located police/fire department.

Public comment will be taken at the council’s next study session at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7.

The possible sites are:

Building a police station at a location south of city hall;

Building a police station at a location north of city hall;

Building the facility at the fire department’s location for Station 21 on Madison Avenue; and

Building the facility at the fire department’s location on fire department property near Station 21.

Also being considered is the potential of co-locating the municipal courthouse at one of the sites.

Last week’s decision to postpone the vote means the city won’t meet an Oct. 1 deadline set by the Bainbridge Island Fire Department.

Fire commissioners sent a letter to the city council in mid August that asked for a council decision by Oct. 1 so the fire department could pursue a bond measure at the ballot box in February that would help fund a combined police/fire station.

The combined facility, according to a consultant assessment, would save taxpayers approximately $2.3 million.

A report analyzing the feasibility of the site options can be found on the city website at http://www.bainbridgewa.gov/documentcenter/home/view/3987

Questions and written comment can be submitted in advance to Deputy City Manager Morgan Smith at msmith@bainbridgewa.gov or 206-842-2545.