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37 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, November 17, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 1, 2004 This is a computer rendering of a $7.5 million police headquarters proposed for downtown Medford. The viewpoint is taken above 10th Street looking north. Council gets look at new cop shop Medford Police Chief Eric Mellgren unveils architect’s vision of a new headquarters By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune When an architectural rendering of a proposed $7.5 million, 30,000-square-foot police headquarters was unveiled Thursday, Councilwoman Claudette Moore had one remark. "It’s crooked," she said of the computer drawing that shows a large box design with the appearance of a second, taller box inside and turned askew. The building would be behind the main post office in downtown Medford, just southeast of City Hall. Medford police Chief Eric Mellgren presented the first design of the police headquarters, a project that has been on and off the table for 20 years, during the Medford City Council’s study session Thursday. He asked the council for the green light to proceed with the design, even though project funding is uncertain. While the council seemed supportive, Councilman Jim Key suggested holding off the decision until Wednesday’s mid-biennium budget meeting, when a full council would be present, and other council members agreed. The budget committee, made up of the City Council and nine citizens, will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 411 W. Eighth St., Medford. Advertisement If all goes as the police department’s leadership hopes, the new building would be completed at the end of 2006 at the earliest. The preliminary design is by Wilson Estes Police Architects in Mission, Kan., and The Abell Architectural Group in Medford. The interior details have not been worked out but it would have three stories in addition to underground parking, and would be much more secure than the first floor of City Hall where the police department has offices now, said Mellgren. Jef Faw, finance director and deputy city manager, told the council that a long-range financial plan is in place for the $7.5 million project, but it relies on legislated reforms to the troubled Public Employees Retirement System withstanding court challenges. "It will require the sale of bonds, but we can absorb the debt service of those bonds," said Faw. Everything is on hold while the city awaits a ruling by the Oregon Supreme Court. Reforms that scale back PERS benefits have been challenged in the Oregon Supreme Court by unions that represent many of the 294,000 workers in the PERS system. Faw said he expects a ruling by mid-December. The city is currently paying $30 million of the state’s $17 billion PERS deficit. The site is now a city staff parking lot. Purchased by the city 39 years ago, it was earmarked 20 years ago as the future site for police headquarters. Even though a 27,000-square-foot City Hall annex was just completed in 1998, Mellgren said more space is desperately needed. In addition to his department being squished into the City Hall, their emergency dispatch is in the annex and they have satellite facilities around the city. "Our traffic unit and patrol guys hang out in the parking structure," said Mellgren. Following the meeting, architect Gene Abell disagreed with Councilwoman Moore’s assessment that the building was "crooked." "We thought it was creative," said Abell, who designed downtown’s Middleford Alley parking structure and Fire Station No. 6 at Barnett and North Phoenix roads. He said the building’s design is intended to provide protection for those inside while still appearing friendly to the public. "It’s a friendly urban structure," said Abell. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities