Renovations sought for PB police station

Proposal intends to improve access

— Pine Bluff leaders are proposing a renovation of the Joe Thomas Public Safety Building to make the 1960s-era facility - which is headquarters for the city’s police and fire departments - more attractive and accessible to the public.

At a Pine Bluff City Council Public Safety Committee meeting Thursday, committee members recommended that the full City Council pass a measure funding the nearly $2.4 million project.

The City Council is to take up the matter at its Feb. 3 meeting.

About $1.9 million for the project would come from the city’s five-eighths percent sales tax that voters passedin 2011; $213,000 would come from the jail fund; and the rest would come from savings after a franchise fee revenue bond is reissued at a lower interest rate, said Steve Miller, the city’s finance director.

The city could save about $213,000 in interest each year by refinancing, Miller said.

The committee recommended adding an extra $1 million to the bond reissue to fund the purchase of two new air-conditioning chiller units for City Hall and the Joe Thomas building, along with cosmetic changes and other enhancements at City Hall.

Revenue the city collects from franchise fees on electric, gas, water and telephoneutilities is used to secure the debt to the bondholders, Miller said.

Pine Bluff architect Fred Reed said creating a new entrance at the police station is one of the biggest renovations proposed. Currently, the public can access the Police Department only on the plaza level of the Civic Center complex, which includes the Joe Thomas building, City Hall and the Pine Bluff-Jefferson County Library System’s main branch. Reaching that level requires navigating steep stairs.

On Friday afternoon, Alma Jones of Pine Bluff struggled to climb the stairs on her way to pick up an accident report at the Police Department. When told about the renovation proposal, she smiled and said she would urge her alderman to support it.

“Anything we can do to make the entrance to the Police Department easier to get to would be fine by me,” Jones said. “The first time I tried to find it, I ended up in City Hall.”

The proposed entrance on State Street, where the Pine Bluff Fire and Emergency Services’ firetruck bays now sit, would give the Police Department “higher visibility, allowing people to more easily enter and exit,” Reed said.

A large, colorful police shield would be erected above the entrance “so there won’t be any question as to where the entrance is,” he added.

In addition, the old jail space would be renovatedinto offices for the Police Department’s patrol division. A workout room is also proposed.

The Fire and Emergency Services space would receive new paint and a women’s restroom and shower area, and the entire building would receive a waterproof coating.

At City Hall, new paint, carpet and wiring are planned for the council chambers, and the entire building would receive new wiring for electronics. New outdoor lighting would also be added to the entire Civic Center plaza area.

Alderman Bill Brumett, who sits on the Public Safety Committee, said the City Council “should do whatever we can to make sure this project moves forward. It’s something that has been needed for a long time, and we are able to do it now. So let’s get it done.”

If the renovation proposal is approved by the City Council, Reed said work should be completed by May 2015.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7 on 01/27/2014

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