Safety,

lack of space and functionality were primary reasons for

the City Council's approval of the facilities plan that

includes the construction of a new $2 million police

station.

While much

of the discussion centered on the fact that a number of

city departments are simply running out of room and

changes must be made, it was not lost on anyone that

moving the Police Department to its own secure location

would be better for the police as well as all others

concerned.

The police

station is currently beneath City Hall, just a few feet

from the city's library. Many city officials spoke with

concern about a situation where suspects are routinely

brought in handcuffs to the station in such close

proximity to school children and other citizens visiting

the library.

Once the

new station is completed, the old station will be

slightly reconfigured and house the Building Department

and Planning & Engineering.

Other

options were considered by city staff before recommending

the new police station. Among those were a 4,000-sq. ft.

expansion of the Public Works building on McIntosh Trail

and an 8,000-sq. ft. expansion of City Hall. Both of

those plans were seen as only temporary, stopgap

solutions.

"Organizationally,

Option C [the new police station] is far better,"

said Councilman Jim Pace. "Options A and B are

nonfunctional."

The Public

Works expansion was expected to only partly meet space

requirements.

Staff felt

that the City Hall expansion would create parking

problems in addition to what already exists.

Property

for the new police station already has been purchased

just off Ga. Highway 54 in front of the Flat Creek

wastewater treatment plan. In addition to the 5.5 acres

acquired by the city, about four acres has been donated

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