To the editor:
The Bainbridge Island Police Department’s facility is old, in poor condition and no longer meets the needs of the department. Supposedly it is beyond remodeling and needs to be replaced.
The city of Bainbridge Island has proposed a plan necessitating the purchase of real estate on Madison close to city hall. Other solutions have been offered and discussed but the believes the Madison location is the best. To accomplish this goal the city has placed a bond proposal of $15 million on the ballot for this November.
Obviously there is a need for a new facility but both the cost and location are questionable.
Like others I question the location in the crowded Winslow area as opposed to a location with the main fire station at Madison and Highway 305. Like others I also question the prudence of purchasing prime commercial real estate instead of using publicly owned land.
To put the proposed Bainbridge Island police court facility in perspective consider the data surrounding the building of the new police facility in the city of Pasco in Franklin County and compare this info with what is proposed for Bainbridge Island. I spoke with representatives of the city of Pasco, the Bainbridge Island Police Department messaged with our City Manager Doug Schultz, received info from island residents and spoke with the architect of the Pasco Police facility, Terence Thornhill. Let’s compare:
PASCO BAINBRIDGE
Population: 68,240 23,380
Projected cost: $14 milllion $15 million
Actual cost: $7 milllion $13 million – $15 million
Size of facility: 38,000 square feet 27,000 square feet
Size of Force: 80 27
Land City Owned: To be Purchased
What is immediately noticeable is that Pasco is building a 38,000-square-foot facility for $7 million while Bainbridge Island has proposed a smaller facility for almost double the cost.
Additionally, Pasco has a population almost three times the size of Bainbridge with a police force of 80 while Bainbridge has a force of 28. Our city manager advises that our costs are higher due to land cost of approximately $3 million and design costs, FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment), sales tax and site work of $3.9 million. The construction estimate alone is projected to be $7.6 million. All total the cost to Bainbridge Island taxpayers is projected to be $14.5 million.
In speaking with the Pasco architect, Terence Thornhill, he shed some light on how Pasco built for half our actual cost. Obviously Pasco saved a bundle building on city-owned land. The city also realized that the original cost estimate was beyond their means and they returned to the drawing board. Keep in mind that uniformed police officers working and moving about a police station with the tools of their trade encased in leather, with metal buckles and clasps knocking into table corners, door frames desks, counter tops, walls and standard office furniture will do considerable damage.
Thornhill viewed other police facilities and specifically mentioned the facility at Walla Walla which was not designed as a “cop shop” and as a result was quickly trashed as the design was not geared for industrial use. He offered that even dealing with seismic considerations he was able to design the Pasco facility using bulletproof glass and furniture, fixtures and equipment that would last under the harsh working conditions in a police station.
Under the circumstances I plan to vote NO on this bond proposal. If Pasco can build a new police facility, considerably larger than Bainbridge, for $7 million then why should we assume a debt of almost $15 million for smaller facility for a smaller police force?
BOB SEABY
Bainbridge Island
