Public safety center: Good money after bad?
The public safety building that houses the city police and fire departments is in need of repairs, said the McCook City Manager, so much so that at this point "we're spending good money after bad."
Kurt Fritsch, city manager, explained to the McCook City Council at the budget meeting July 21 that $500,000 in city sales tax money has been included in the 2008-09 budget as start-up money for a municipal police/fire/city offices facility.
This would be a multi-year project, he explained, with funds saved each year if possible.
Frtitsch said he had no concrete number of what the facility would ultimately cost but the $500,00 would begin the process in design and engineering fees.
Fritsch told the council that about $150,000-200,000 has been spent so far on repairs at the current police/fire department building, near the railroad tracks at 500 West B. "The building has outlived its time," he related. Fritsch added that although safety issues haven't diminished, the overriding concern now is the deteriorating condition of the current public safety building.
Renovating the former West Ward Elementary property is still an option, he reminded the council, although there would be sizable costs in removing walls to eliminate the wide hallways.
In addition, another major expense would be in installing an elevator in the three-story building.
Still, "It's not in terrible shape," he said of the former school building on the 300 block of West Fifth. There's some damage from a leaking roof and some mold on the north side, he said, but structurally the building is sound.
In response to a request from Councilman Lonnie Anderson, a tour will be set up in the near future for council members to inspect the building themselves.
Councilman Aaron Kitcher said he hasn't been in the building since fourth grade but that "I knew my way to the principal's office really well."