A proposal to purchase space for the city police department had the door slammed on it last week when the city council refused to discuss it. The proposal was to buy the log building and two lots on Main between the Masonic Lodge and the Seventh Day Adventist Church, most recently owned by Elkhorn Goldfields, at a cost of $50,000 and remodel it for around eight to ten thousand dollars.
The current police office is in a small office within the law enforcement center that has only one desk for three officers.
It “basically was a hallway” and has three doors, said city officials. Councilmember Gary Richardson said the building would be insufficiently secure for housing evidence. “That’s nothing but a lawsuit waiting to happen,” he said. He also expressed concern that the security risk would be increased because the building would not be manned continually. “Who’s going to be there to answer the door when somebody knocks on the door and wants a police officer?” he asked.
Councilmember Bettie Schlueter made a motion to purchase the building and lots but no one seconded the motion. City Attorney Steven Shapiro and Mayor Gary Craft reminded the council that the motion needed a second if the matter were going to be discussed. There was information ready to be presented by the chief of police and others, they said, but a second to the motion was necessary first.
Still no second came, so the matter was dropped. After the meeting, Chief of Police Juan Trujillo said the city had lost its chance to purchase the building with the lack of approval because another buyer was in line.
He said there were details the council should have heard, details that might have cleared up some concerns. In other business last week, the council:
• heard discussion on a new cemetery road (see separate article);
• received an award for the new wastewater treatment facility (see separate article);
• heard about a feasibility report on the proposed rest area (see separate article);
• approved the sale and display of fireworks for the Fourth of July;
• approved the purchase of self-contained breathing apparatus for the fire department at $6500 funded by a Town Pump grant;
• approved the continuation of a dispatch agreement with the sheriff’s office for one year at $8000;
• agreed to pay $420 a year to Morrison-Maierle Systems for offsite data backup, noting a quote by a competing firm was for $2580;
• and said volunteers are needed for the planning board and board of adjustments, asking interested persons to submit a letter of interest to the city office.
