City Hall Site for New Station

Vaughn R. Larson for The Beacon, Tuesday September 27, 2005

SHEBOYGAN – If you can’t beat City Hall, join ‘em.

That may not have been the intent, but it appears to be the result as the Common Council closed the volatile saga of where to build a new police station by approving an addition to City Hall at last Monday night’s meeting.

Still, some aldermen made a last effort to keep other sites under consideration.

Alderman Eldon Burg said he still favored the county parcel on North 23rd Street.

“I hope I can convince seven or eight of you to join me,” he told the council, adding that building at City Hall could mean razing nearby historic homes to satisfy parking demands.

The council voted 10-6 in favor of eliminating all other sites except City Hall and the Van Der Vaart property from consideration.

Council President James Graf then moved to cross off the Van Der Vaart property, arguing against buying a large parcel that would be difficult to sell off in smaller pieces.

Alderman Dan Berg, who moments earlier spoke against considering the county parcel, opposed building at City Hall.

“You’re gonna box yourself in,” he said. “The parking will be atrocious.”

Graf replied that parking is already a problem at City Hall. Alderwoman Vicky Meyer said that the city buss system can address some of the parking concerns.

“After all the information that has come out about Van Der Vaart, we cannot afford it,” she said, referring to the assessed value of $100,000 per acre.

Alderwoman Bonnie Cerda countered that the county parcel would cost more per acre than the Van Der Vaart land.

“This is going to take a visionaries sensibility,” she said.

Alderman Gene Davis said that the estimated cost of the Van Der Vaart land took it out of the running.

“I am glad that the 23rd Street dead horse is off the table”, he added.

Graf’s motion passed on an 11-5 vote.

Prior to the meeting, city resident Scott Lewandoske accused the council of wasting $35,000 by ignoring the study that ranked the county parcel as the top site for a new police station.

“This is another example of the Common Council acting with a closed mind,” he said. “I have to wonder how many of you even read the entire report.”

Lewandoske ended his statement by announcing his candidacy for the council in 2006.

During the meeting Alderman Bill Stephen countered that the council did not squander the report.

“All five sites are viable sites,” he said. “We’ve got to move forward. We made a decision last week.”

Besides City Hall, Van Der Vaart and North 23rd Street, the city had also considered the former drop-off recycling center near 19th Street and New Jersey Avenue, and a parcel near 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. That list was pared down to two at last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting.

By building an addition at City Hall, the city avoids land acquisition costs, which may keep overall costs for the new police station well under the $17 million cap approved earlier this year.

Deputy Police Chief Bob Wojs struck a diplomatic note following the meeting.

“Although it was not our preferred location, I am happy that a site has been chosen,” he said. “I’m confident that Zimmerman Design Group will build a quality police facility at the chosen site.

“Let’s move forward.”