Council OKs police station despite objections
City Councilman Jon Camp said Monday that the city’s process of trying to put a police station in northeast Lincoln doesn’t give other developers and contractors a fair shot at the project.
Camp’s concerns did not dissuade his colleagues, however, and the City Council voted 5-2 to add the police station to its University Place redevelopment plan. Camp was joined by Councilwoman Robin Eschliman in opposition.
The police station issue will be back before the council once a more specific redevelopment agreement is hammered out between the city and developer Will Scott.
Camp said the city Urban Development Department did not have a fair, open bidding process in its attempt to renovate a building at 49th Street and Huntington Avenue into a police station.
The department published a legal notice advertising it was seeking proposals from developers interested in renovating the old telephone switching station into a police station to house the northeast police team. The city would lease the building, which is owned by Scott.
The idea of converting the building into a police station was suggested by Scott, city officials said during the Monday City Council meeting.
Camp zeroed in on just how fair and competitive that bidding process was, since only Scott submitted a proposal.
“Do you think you only got one because there’s only one person who owns the building?” Camp asked. “To me, no one else can bid on this.”
Camp said he was contacted by contractors and developers who were angry they didn’t have a fair chance of getting the job.
He suggested the city open up bidding citywide on a new police station.
“Who would not want to have a police station in his or her back yard?” he asked.
Urban Development Manager Wynn Hjermstad said the project has been handled the same way all other redevelopment projects have been and that other developers did have a chance at the project, and contractors will have a shot if and when construction begins.
Camp questioned how anyone else realistically could have a chance at the project when Scott owns the building.
He also pressed Hjermstad for more specific numbers about the amount of tax increment financing that might be generated by the project. Hjermstad was hesitant to give specific numbers, saying they were rough estimates.
Camp also asked whether tax increment financing would be used for interior renovations in the building. Hjermstad said officials are exploring that possibility but aren’t sure yet. Tax increment financing likely would be used for things such as utility work, sidewalks and landscaping.
Eschliman asked whether the station shouldn’t be located farther from the 27th and Holdrege streets police station.
“Because somebody came to us with the idea of doing this,” Hjermstad said. “This wasn’t a project that we specifically sought out.”
Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady supports the proposed station but acknowledged that if he could build another police station anywhere he wanted, it probably would be in southeast Lincoln. But, he said, “this is an opportunity that is knocking right now, and we certainly want to open that door.” He said it’s better than getting in line with a bunch of other unfunded capital improvement projects.
The Huntington Neighborhood Association, Nebraska Wesleyan University and nearby schools, churches and businesses have all expressed support for the station.
In other business, the council:
* Approved impoundment fee increases to help fund animal control operations.
* Listened to Emerald’s plea for help with its water problems. The village wants to hook up to Lincoln’s water supply and buy water from the Lincoln Water System, because the nitrate levels in its drinking water are too high and the supply is shrinking. The council said it will look at the issue in a future pre-council meeting.
* Unanimously voted to declare blighted 1,800 acres of land between North 56th Street and Bluff Road, largely to bring water and sewer services to the area.
Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.
Camp’s concerns did not dissuade his colleagues, however, and the City Council voted 5-2 to add the police station to its University Place redevelopment plan. Camp was joined by Councilwoman Robin Eschliman in opposition.
The police station issue will be back before the council once a more specific redevelopment agreement is hammered out between the city and developer Will Scott.
Camp said the city Urban Development Department did not have a fair, open bidding process in its attempt to renovate a building at 49th Street and Huntington Avenue into a police station.
The department published a legal notice advertising it was seeking proposals from developers interested in renovating the old telephone switching station into a police station to house the northeast police team. The city would lease the building, which is owned by Scott.
The idea of converting the building into a police station was suggested by Scott, city officials said during the Monday City Council meeting.
Camp zeroed in on just how fair and competitive that bidding process was, since only Scott submitted a proposal.
“Do you think you only got one because there’s only one person who owns the building?” Camp asked. “To me, no one else can bid on this.”
Camp said he was contacted by contractors and developers who were angry they didn’t have a fair chance of getting the job.
He suggested the city open up bidding citywide on a new police station.
“Who would not want to have a police station in his or her back yard?” he asked.
Urban Development Manager Wynn Hjermstad said the project has been handled the same way all other redevelopment projects have been and that other developers did have a chance at the project, and contractors will have a shot if and when construction begins.
Camp questioned how anyone else realistically could have a chance at the project when Scott owns the building.
He also pressed Hjermstad for more specific numbers about the amount of tax increment financing that might be generated by the project. Hjermstad was hesitant to give specific numbers, saying they were rough estimates.
Camp also asked whether tax increment financing would be used for interior renovations in the building. Hjermstad said officials are exploring that possibility but aren’t sure yet. Tax increment financing likely would be used for things such as utility work, sidewalks and landscaping.
Eschliman asked whether the station shouldn’t be located farther from the 27th and Holdrege streets police station.
“Because somebody came to us with the idea of doing this,” Hjermstad said. “This wasn’t a project that we specifically sought out.”
Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady supports the proposed station but acknowledged that if he could build another police station anywhere he wanted, it probably would be in southeast Lincoln. But, he said, “this is an opportunity that is knocking right now, and we certainly want to open that door.” He said it’s better than getting in line with a bunch of other unfunded capital improvement projects.
The Huntington Neighborhood Association, Nebraska Wesleyan University and nearby schools, churches and businesses have all expressed support for the station.
In other business, the council:
* Approved impoundment fee increases to help fund animal control operations.
* Listened to Emerald’s plea for help with its water problems. The village wants to hook up to Lincoln’s water supply and buy water from the Lincoln Water System, because the nitrate levels in its drinking water are too high and the supply is shrinking. The council said it will look at the issue in a future pre-council meeting.
* Unanimously voted to declare blighted 1,800 acres of land between North 56th Street and Bluff Road, largely to bring water and sewer services to the area.
Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.
Copyright © 2002-2009 Lincoln Journal Star. All rights reserved.