MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – The Marshfield Common Council on Tuesday directed city staff to move forward with planning for a larger garage as part of the city’s police department relocation project, while asking for more information on how to cover an estimated $500,000 funding gap.
The larger garage option would roughly double the size of the garage planned for the new police facility at Wildwood Plaza, increasing it from about 5,662 square feet to 11,324 square feet. Police Chief Jody Geurink told council members the smaller garage would create operational, safety and long-term space concerns for the department.
The police department currently has about 8,146 square feet of garage space between its existing police station and the Baltus building, Geurink said. A 2023 feasibility study identified a need for about 11,000 square feet of garage space and about 23,000 square feet of office space.
Geurink said the smaller garage option was designed to meet the council’s budget requirements, but would leave the department with less garage space than it has now. He said a larger garage would better protect patrol vehicles, detective vehicles, special response team vehicles and other equipment, while also helping maintain a clearer separation between public and private areas of the police facility.
The city’s current project budget includes $10.8 million approved in 2023, with $800,000 for design and engineering and $10 million for construction. The city also received an $800,000 grant for the project.
Eric Cook, of Kraemer Brothers, told the council the project is currently within the $9.99 million construction budget for the smaller garage. He said adding the larger garage would cost about $1.3 million. With the $800,000 grant applied to that cost, the city would need to identify about $500,000.
Finance Director Jennifer Selenske said possible funding options include delaying police vehicle purchases in 2027, using unallocated proceeds from previous police vehicle sales, using general fund surplus, identifying project savings or using a short-term state trust fund loan.
Council members said the larger garage should be treated as the preferred option, but they also asked staff to return with more specific budget and financing details before the city commits to the added cost.
Council Member Rebecca Spiros said she was concerned the project had been presented to residents as a solution to the department’s space and parking needs, only for the garage space to be reduced later to meet the budget.
Council members also discussed the timing of the decision. Cook said precast materials for the larger garage would need to be ordered soon because of long lead times.
The council directed staff to return with the budget or project amendments needed to move the larger garage option forward.
Author: News Desk
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