Did you know that
Llano just spent $240,000 for a "New" Police Station?
The City of Llano just spent $240,000 for a “new”
police station, 3 minutes from the old one, at the Hutto Insurance
Building at 213 W. Main St. This will be
paid for by property taxes for the next 7 years.
This article is not about the need for a new police
station in Llano. Our police chief is an honorable man who leads a
well-run department, so if he says we need one, we want one.
Our issues are:
1. The devious way police station was funded.
2. The $240,000++ debt at this time and the lack of
alternatives investigated.
3. The ongoing lack of planning and proper business
cases by City Manager Brenton Lewis
Devious Way Police
Station Was Funded
During the budget process, the police chief's capital request stated
that a new police station was needed in 2016-2017. One week later, in a
closed meeting, city council discussed the police station and agreed to
the purchase of the Hutto building for a police station. Citizens were
told that Mayor Virdell was authorized to purchase an unidentified
property for an undisclosed reason. For some undisclosed reason, this
city council meeting was not recorded.
One week later, the police station was a priority one
"need" and in the budget with no discussion.
For some undisclosed reason, this city council meeting video was not
recorded.
Under Mayor Mike Virdell's reign, citizens are not
allowed to talk at budget workshops. The police station was hidden in
the budget, not identified as a "new police station." There was no
discussion in open council meetings or the budget or the newspapers.
It is thus clear that Mayor Virdell and City Manager
Lewis wanted a stealth transaction, not known by or debated by the
citizens of Llano. The purchase of the property was stealth since
citizens were told that the police station was not needed until
2016-21017 and the actual Hutto building was not disclosed to citizens
until over two months
after the contract was signed.
Adding $240,000++ Debt
is not Prudent or Necessary
The Llano City Government is on a
spending binge. The police chief said a new police station wasn't
needed until 2016-2017. Thus, this purchase wasn't necessary and this
specific property wasn't the best choice so the wait would have allowed
more planning than the week given by Mayor Virdell and City Manager
Lewis. Llano has the highest tax rate of any municipality in Llano
County and we are the only municipality with a negative growth rate in
population in the County. The budget increased
$3,720,000 in the 2015 budget.
This $240,000 debt is neither prudent nor necessary
this year and thus is not in the best interest of the citizens of
Llano.
Lack of Proper Planning
and Business Case
This is an ugly building. The 1960's architecture is dreadful and not
timeless like a stone building would be. The materials are cheap. The
construction is poor. The appraiser said the condition is average. He
was being kind.
Paneling inside and out.
It is a sad, depressing place. It does not present a positive
image for the police department or for Llano. It is embarrassing. A Main
Street façade grant won't bring it very far. See more pictures and the
appraisal
here.
This building will need a significant renovation and
the current building codes and setbacks will be challenging. The only
"planned" renovation is ADA access and an inside wall to separate the
receptionist. Probably some paint.
Two points on this:
1. Wasn't there a better choice for $250,000 - or less?
2. Where is the renovation plan and how much would that cost?
Why didn't City Manger Lewis and Mayor Virdell
consider city-owned property? A nice building between City Hall and the
Fire Station would create a nice campus, be much more attractive, and be
less expensive. A remodel of the current police station or a swap of the
municipal court with the current police station would cost far less. Or,
how about waiting until it was really needed so we will get the growth
promised from the fountains and the Riley Mountain emergency water
supply? A proper business case would have provided all this analysis and
more.
As usual for Llano, there isn't a business case for a
new police station. Why is it needed? What measurable benefits are
there? Will crime go down? By how much? Will costs go up or down? By how
much? What are the ongoing expenses and renovation plans? There are no
answers to these questions as verified by a Freedom of Information Act
request.
The new police station project went from not needed
until 2016-2017 to priority 1 in 2015 - in one week. What happened in
that week? A proper business case would tell us what changed in that
week.
There isn't a renovation plan because there never is
a proper plan for this city's projects - such as
the sewer plant, Riley Mountain project, water meters, fountains,
and on and on. The next mayor or city manager with aesthetic sense will
agree that this "new" police station is an eyesore and needs major
renovation. That cost should be considered now when starting a "new"
police station project. It might show that the Hutto property is the
wrong choice.
Without a business plan, for example, we got
fountains for $300,000 that do nothing. Ask City Manager Brenton Lewis
if they are effective and what he measures to determine that. When will
Llano be run with at least basic business practices?
Another Virdell-Lewis
Deal Not in the Best Interest of Llano
Mayor Virdell says there is no growth in Llano because we don't have a
multi-million dollar emergency source of water. Could it be that
families and businesses are leaving Llano because of our huge, climbing
debt, and bad city management? This eyesore of a police station for
$250,000++ surely won't help.
We need a city government that is not secretive, doesn't waste taxpayer
funds, does proper planning, and listens to the citizens.
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