By Diana Baldwin
The Oklahoman
EDMOND, Okla. — Two sports fields with fences falling down and sparse seating could be the site chosen for Edmond’s new public safety center.
The Barnett fields, on the northwest corner of Kelly Avenue and Main Street, is where city council members have decided the new police headquarters, 911 communication center and emergency management operations should be built.
Voters will have the final say on whether they even want to invest in a new public safety center.
Council members are working to get the question before the voters in the Nov. 4 general election.
Final paperwork calling for the election is expected to be completed at the Aug. 25 council meeting.
The building site also includes two adjacent acres of city-owned property where the city public works buildings once stood.
The ball fields are surrounded by homes built in the 1940s and 1950s.
Some are rental property. Four horses were grazing this week in two different yards across the street from the building site.
Neighbors contacted by The Oklahoman were in favor of a new public safety center being built near their homes.
Rick Howland, 3 S Story St., said, “I don’t have a problem. I have wondered what it might do to our property value.”
Linda Kunzi, 804 W. Main, said, “I might feel a little safer if they are across the street. They might get here a little faster.”
The new 83,069-square-foot center is estimated to cost $31.5 million.
Voters will be asked if they are willing to pay more property taxes to fund it.
City officials estimate it would increase property taxes about $4.25 a month for each property valued at $100,000.
Property owners with a $100,000 home could expect to pay just over $500 in additional property taxes over a 10-year period.
The present police headquarters at 23 E First St. in downtown Edmond has been declared too small for the city’s 116 police officers.
The police department moved into the building in 1980 with 49 officers.
The proposed location is about a mile from the current headquarters.
Early proposals for the new headquarters included a couple of downtown locations.
City officials worked to find a downtown property large enough, but found the only available land would have increased the price by up to $3 million.
Others are concerned that city-owned park land could be used for the new center. Chitwood Park, a complete park with trees and play equipment, is across the street from Barnett fields.
The lighted ball fields are only used by the YMCA for practice for all types of sports. No regularly scheduled games are played on the fields, which are used through a reservation system operated by the YMCA.
Mike Roark, YMCA executive director, said city officials have offered to make other city-owned land available for the YMCA teams to practice.
“If it is the best thing for the community, we are in full support,” Roark said.
Police officials are in favor of the Kelly-Main location.
“This is the advantageous area,” Police Chief Bob Ricks said. “There is plenty of land for our needs now and to be able to expand in the future.”
Ricks said the new center would answer the police department’s staffing needs for the next 20 years.
“This will be the police department’s headquarters for the next 50 years,” the chief said.
Copyright 2008 The Oklahoman