Minutes 04/23/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 THURSDAY, APRll, 23, 1998 part of the next fiscal year's budget. He then asked how much of the total project cost estimate of $9.6 million had already been spent, and Mr. Reeves replied that $94,625 had been spent on project costs to this point. Mr. Reeves also noted the fact that the Strollo team had given much more time to the project than the City had actually paid for, and that the City had gotten great value for the money spent on the project to this point. Vice-Mayor Crabtree then noted that the State had approved the construction of more beds than the City actually intended to construct, and Mr. Teague noted that it was important to keep the public aware of the actual numbers of inmates the City was responsible for, especially in comparison to inmate population projections. He pointed out that the current population figures were consistently exceeding these projections. Mr. Reeves then stated that this was all the more reason to build the new facility as soon as possible. At this time Council stopped their meeting for lunch. Upon reconvening Council took up discussion of the Capital improvement needs related to the General District Court Clerk' s Office and the overall needs within the Municipal Building. Mr. Reeves stated that the consideration of the best placement of the new jail facility had triggered consideration of the best scheme for the entire Municipal Complex, and that the need for additional space for the General District Court Clerk' s office had prompted a comprehensive review of a reconfiguration of space within the entire Municipal building, with some of that consideration going to the Shefiff's needs. Mr. Reeves noted that any expansion of space for the Clerk's office automatically resulted in the need to relocate some other function. He stated that the plan that had resulted from this process recommended the relocation of the Police Department to the former Social Services building, and the placement of the Shefiff's Administration and Court functions within the Municipal building and/or the old jail. Mr. Strollo and Mr. Reeves then described, using illustrative floor plans, the proposed scenarios to accomplish the necessary changes, stating that the primary focus was Courts and Criminal Justice needs. Council Member Haskell asked if the Social Services building was large enough to accommodate the Police Department, and was told that it was probably too small to house all functions.