Document text
Shady Cove hopes to sell property Proceeds would go toward police station SHADY COVE -- For sale: commercial lot on Highway 62, close to the river, great for a new business, $42,000. The lot is one of two the city of Shady Cove hopes to sell to fund the building of its first police station. The other lot is behind the Fire District 4 Station near the west end of town. The police department currently occupies two small rooms in the back of City Hall. A police chief, three officers, three reserves and their equipment must share the rooms. "All that sharing of the same space and it gets a little tense at times," said Jerry L'Estrange, city administrator. "Plus, with the addition of me to the city staff, it's hectic around here. It's difficult to maximize our efficiency with the space we are in. "If we can get the police department moved into another facility, we could combine staff offices and we'd have a better facility to meet the needs of the public." The City Council held a public hearing Thursday to let residents know of their plans to sell both properties. In other action Thursday, the council held a public hearing about the vacation of a riverfront lot on Rene Drive. The property owner may pay the city $50,000 in compensation to have the land deeded back to private property. The 150-by-70-foot lot was marked on a map as a right of way, but it can be accessed only by trespassing on private property. The public hearing was continued to Jan. 20. The council also held a supplemental budget hearing to take care of a housekeeping item. When voters approved a five-year, $396,000 police levy Nov. 3, 1998, city officials failed to create a separate fund for the levy. Instead, they placed it in the budget under the general fund. "The Department of Revenue said we could correct it during next year's budget process, but we wanted to do this right away," said Mayor Tom Anderson. "The fund balance isn't changing; we're not adding or subtracting anything. We're just establishing a fund for the police levy." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA