(Estherville)– The Estherville City Council voted unanimously Monday evening to purchase a building at 509 1st Avenue South that will be come the new headquarters for the city’s Police Department. City Administrator Penny Clayton says this particular building best fits their needs adding it will require a minimal amount of remodeling…
“Kind of what we were thinking in that regard would be the existing office space. Most of it would stay intact the way it is. We would actually add in an entry that is a secured entry and add in an additional office plus split an office or a conference room in half to create two spaces but leaving most of the existing walls in the place where they are now. There would be various other technological advances that would need to be done.”
Clayton adds the Estherville Police Department has simply outgrown their current facility…
“If you recall during the 2020 era and covid, we had seven of eleven officers out at one time due to sickness. That is not, we don’t really want to repeat that. We’re trying to make sure we have proper ventilation and just even separation I think will be helpful in that regard. It’s kind of what prompted us to focus money on the existing law enforcement situation. They are right now crammed in, I say crammed, but they are in a very tight space and as they have grown and their needs have grown for computers and desk space, they just don’t fit like they used to very easily.”
Clayton notes another advantage to the 509 1st Avenue South location is the fact the city owns an adjacent lot. The city takes possession of the building this coming August 1st.
