Hot Pursuit! Ash Grove seeks new police station

Request includes building, financing by investor to be paid back through lease purchase
 
In a closed session meeting the evening of Sept. 16, the Ash Grove Board of Aldermen, in the absence of alderman Ronessa Williams, decided to pursue the building of a new police station. The potential facility would be attached to the west end of the current department garage, at 201 N. Calhoun.
The funding of the project will not come directly from the city, however. In the official request for proposal published by the municipality, the city is requesting an investor build and lease the building back to Ash Grove, to be paid off in 10 years. It is estimated the new station would cost between $350,000-$400,000. The structure would be a Morton-style building with a brick facade and would encompass some 3,025 square feet.
If financing comes through, the work would begin on Jan. 1, 2026 and end by May 1, 2026.
Ash Grove Chief of Police John Davis said his department is in great need of an upgrade.
“Some of the existing issues with the current building include a mold problem that we are trying to eradicate,” said Davis. “Still, we are having issues in doing so due to the remodeling that transformed the building into its current state. We have problems with plumbing freezing every winter, and the threat of water leaks. We have lost our roof twice in the last two years and have been told it would be over $25,000 to replace it with a roof that would withstand future storms. We also experience structural issues with the age of the building and keeping it in serviceable condition. The other problem is the limited space to operate out of. We anticipate growth in Ash Grove over the near future, and with that growth, the police department will need to grow as well in order to serve the citizens and those who visit our community. We must, as a city, develop our infrastructure in order to accommodate the needs of not only those who currently live or visit here but also those who will look to join the community.”
Davis cited future expansion in the city as a reason to upgrade the department.
“I have always been told that one of the first things people moving to a new community look at to determine if they want to move to that community is the rating of the school district in that community,” Davis said. “We are fortunate to have a fantastic and highly rated school district here in Ash Grove that will draw new residents to us.  People will then look at crime stats as well as the city’s infrastructure and how well it can service their needs, as well as protect them and their families. To do this, the department will need to add officers, and we need not only additional officers but also the space for them to work out of.”
Davis added that if financing isn’t available the project will be placed on hold while they explore alternative financing options.