City Council members agreed to lay the groundwork for a new $15.5 million police station and appoint a new Second Ward representative during Monday’s business meeting at City Hall.
After approving a resolution to bring David Twichell aboard to fill the seat recently vacated by Patti Pacino, council, including Twichell, later voted on resolutions to seek funding from the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Program as a potential funding source for a new police facility.
The city of Batavia has already been awarded a $2.5 million congressional grant, which is to be applied toward the cost of the facility to “address capacity concerns, building limitations, improve handicapped access and ensure quality police protection services now and into the future.”
As for payment of the remaining $13 million, the resolution states that “the process of applying for a loan does not obligate the city of Batavia in any way unless, and until, a specific loan and grant offer has been extended to the city by USDA RD and the city of Batavia’s approval of the offer is attained.”
Council also approved financing the cost of project construction of the police station with bond anticipation notes. The construction expenses in connection with the capital improvements of the police department safety headquarters are authorized at a maximum estimated cost of $15.5 million, according to the resolution.
The station will be located in the parking lot across from the Jerome Medical Center on Bank Street next to Alva Place.
Councilman Bob Bialkowski said it will be nice to see a new facility after the decades -- estimated to be at least half a century -- of making do with older stations. A new facility "certainly meets the upcoming needs" of the department, he said. Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. agreed.
"It's long overdue," he said.
Photo: Newly sworn-in member David Twichell, right, sits alongside members Eugene Jankowski Jr., left, and Paul Viele. Photo by Joanne Beck.
