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MEMORANDUM To:St. Anthony Village City Council From:Charlie Yunker, City Manager Date:February 25, 2025 City Council Meeting Request:Public Safety Facility Exploration BACKGROUND Throughout much of 2024 extensive discussion took place on the functionality of the current Police Department facility during the process of considering a renewal of the policing partnership with the City of Falcon Heights. While it was known that the facility was not adequate to fit current needs, the renewed partnership has brought the issue to the top of the priority list of City facilities needing attention to better fit current and future needs. As part of the renewed partnership decision, a commitment was made to explore the options for renovating and expanding the Police Department facility. One option to expand and renovate the current facility, and preliminary work has been completed on a scope should that be the necessary option. Also, staff is working on completing minor renovations in 2025 to accommodate new staff and make the space more usable either for the Police Department or another user should the department move to a different location. The other option is to add-on to the existing Fire Station and join the Police and Fire Departments into a joint Public Safety Facility. This would address space issues in both the Fire and Police Departments and allow for a better long-term solution for the needs of both departments. This Public Safety Facility option is dependent on two primary factors: (1) the feasibility of constructing an expanded facility adjacent to the existing fire station, and (2) the ability of City to secure as much outside funding as possible, and supplement with city bonding at an amount that will not put additional, undue pressure on the annual tax levy. As reflected in the City’s 2025 Strategic Plan, efforts will be made this year to determine if a Public Safety Facility approach is feasible both the logistically and financially. To determine the answer on both of those factors, third-party expertise is needed. Staff has been working on preliminary steps to secure that expertise, and proposals are included for your review and approval of the approach proposed. ARCHITECTURAL PREDESIGN The City worked with Oertel Architects in 2024 to discuss the Police Department facility while the Falcon Heights partnership renewal discussions were taking place to assess the impact and options at the Community Center facility. Subsequent discussions have focused on the concept of the Public Safety facility and the plan to seek outside funding. In order to determine if outside funding will be available, The City needs to get the facility concept to a “predesign” status. Which is enough design to demonstrate the project has legitimate support and is achievable, while leaving many details and specifics to be determined at a subsequent phase, once adequacy of funding is determined. 23