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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-21-1999 - 1ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: January 21, 1999 Action Agenda Item No. ~ SUBJECT: Fairview Community Policing Center DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/1~ BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N) ATTACHMENT(S): 1/11/99 Town of Hillsborough Proposal INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Peterson, Hillsborough Town Manager, 732-2104 TELEPHOl~'E NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To receive and discuss a report from the Town of Hillsborough on a proposed "Fairview Community Policing Center". BACKGROUND: The Hillsborough Board of Commissioners is considering a proposal, presented at the Town's January 11 meeting, to develop a Fairview Community Policing Center. The Town will present a conceptual site and floor plan for the project during this joint meeting. The Town Manager advises that the budget information is very rudimentary and intended to estimate a "ballpark" cost for the project. The Hillsborough Board of Commissioners would like to discuss the project with the County Commissioners to determine if the County is interested in participating in the proposed Center, and to see if the County has any ideas or suggestions. The Town Board is likely to continue its discussions at their February 13 Budgetary-Goal Setting Retreat. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the Town's report and provide appropriate direction to staff, as needed. Town of ills h S,~ ~~5, g ME.MOR.4NDlTM TO: Rod Visser, Assistant County Manager FROM: Eric Peterson, Town Manager DATE: January 14, 1999 SUBJECT: Information on Fairview Community Policing Item for Joint Meeting Agenda Please find attached the proposal information that was presented to the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners at their January 1 l~' meeting regarding the Fairview Community Policing Center. The Town will present a "conceptual" site and floor plan for the project during the joint meeting on January 21S`. The budget information is ~ rudimentary and intended to estimate a "ballpark" cost for the project. The Hillsborough Board indicated they wanted to discuss the project with the County Commissioners to determine if they were interested in participating in the proposed Center and to see if the County has any ideas or suggestions. The Town Board will likely continue discussions on the issue during their February 13~' Budgetary Goal-Setting Retreat. Please feel free to give me a call if you have any questions. Thanks! 101 East Orange Street • P.O. Box 429 • Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 01A 999 AYn• ~ Ti.... ntn c~ii nnnn Proposal for the Fairview "Community Policing Center" January 11,1999 On September 29, 1998 the Town of Hillsborough Board of Commissioners and the Fairview Block Captains held a meeting to discuss needs and issues in the Fairview Community. During the meeting, the Board directed the Town Manager to work with a Committee comprised of several Block Captains, Police Department representatives, and Commissioner Dancy. The Committee's task was to develop a proposal for a Police Sub-Station/Community Center "concept" located in the Fairview Pazk. The proposal was to be presented to the Hillsborough Boazd of Commissioners as soon as reasonably possible. The Committee met on October 29`~ ,December 17~' ,and January 5th to discuss key issues, ideas, and concerns relating to the development of a Community Policing Center, those ideas are the basis for this proposal. The following information is intended to highlight the key elements of the proposal to construct and operate the Center. Primary Purposes of the Center• • Bring police officers closer to the Fairview Community to increase the ability of residents and the Hillsborough Police Department to work together in their desire to rid the neighborhood of drugs and crime. • Providing asub-station and relocating the Town's Community Policing Division in the Center will increase interaction between residents and police officers. The goal is to increase communication and trust between the HPD and community -both aze crucial elements in effectively fighting and decreasing crime in Fairview as well as the rest of Hillsborough. The relocation will have little or no impact on the Community Policing Division's ability to continue serving the entire Town of Hillsborough. Currently, the Community Policing Division is working in very "cramped" conditions. In fact, the facility should make it much easier for the public to reach all the Community Policing Officers. In addition to alleviating this problem, the move will free up needed office and storage space in the Police Department. • Increase use of the existing pazk by locating the Center on the same property -greater law enforcement presence in the azea makes this a safer environment for children and families. The Center and Community Policing Division will benefit by the increased traffic in the Pazk, thus allowing Hillsborough Police Officers and residents to "get to know each other" on a friendly basis. This makes it easier for everyone to work together when various problems arise -this is the basic premise behind Community Oriented Policing. • Provide a convenient location to operate programs to help all children in Hillsborough (e.g., after school activities, tutorial programs, youth programs run by the Community Policing Division, etc.). • Provide space to Orange County and the Sheriff's Depaztment, making it easier for them to provide services to the neighborhood and Northern Orange County. The County may wish to set up satellite offices for Heath/Social Services that could operate on a limited schedule. • Provide a convenient meeting space for "community" activities for all residents of Hillsborough. • Eventually augment the benefits of a regional park on the surrounding County and Town properties, when a recreation project is eventually developed in this area. Operational Conce}~t: • The Community Policing Center will be the headquarters for the HPD Community Policing Division, and will provide an office for the Orange County Sheriff's Department to assist in their law enforcement operations in the area. • Satellite office location available for government services (Town and County). • Make the Center's Meeting Room available for use by community groups. The Center will tit be open for regular office hours, the cost of placing an administrative-type person in the office fora 40 hour week is too expensive given the current financial condition and operational priorities of the Town. Rather the Center will be open to the public when officers aze in the Center, between patrols and assignments. Since police work is unpredictable, it is difficult to set a permanent office schedule, though the Community Policing Division intends to experiment by set regular limited hours (e.g., an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon after school every day). If a satellite office is set up, (for example by a County Department) they may wish to be open every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00 - 5:00 P.M., this would be acceptable and encouraged since it would benefit the surrounding community. The space could be used by the Orange County School System, if they were interested in starting anafter-school tutorial program. Community groups could schedule use of the building through the Community Policing Division. Community volunteers should be used to station the office and expand the Center's hours of operation. A "reception" desk should be located in the lobby so volunteers can greet visitors, provide information on Center operations, etc. Building Features: • Three offices for the Community Policing Division: one for the Lieutenant, one for the Sazgent, and a larger office for the Community Policing Officers • One office space reserved for Orange County Sheriff's Department and one office for other Orange County Departments (e.g., Health/Human/Social Services, school system, etc.) • Large meeting azea/classroom (approximately 22' x 24') with a large whiteboazd for instructional purposes (e.g., community meetings, Community Policing Activities, after school tutorial programs, etc.) • Small kitchenette: Refrigerator, microwave, and sink • Upstairs walk-in attic for storage and room for possible office expansion in the attic • Two handicap accessible rest rooms • Shower & locker room for law enforcement personnel • A lobby to locate a "reception" desk and locate a community information "bulletin boazd" • Approximate size: 1,900 square feet. Recommended Steps Necessary to Im}~lement Construction of Center: 1) The Committee presents its proposal for the Fairview Center to the Hillsborough Boazd of Commissioners at their January 11~' meeting. Get suggestions and guidance from Boazd and Fairview Block Captains on the concept and their recommended next step. 2) Town Manager meets with the County Manager and School Superintendent to make them aware of the proposed Center and its availability for use by their organizations. Solicit their suggestions and ideas for incorporation into final design. 3) Presentation to Joint Orange County/Town of Hillsborough meeting on January 28th. Request Orange County consider participating in the project via lease of the land and possible financial participation. 4) February 8~' Hillsborough Board of Commissioners' meeting: Hire architect to work with Committee and design Center. 5) February/Mazch: Have acchitect begin design work, start developing specific cost estimates for furnishing the Center. 6) Upon completion of design, approval by the Fairview Center Committee, Blocks Captains, and final approval by the Town's Board of Commissioners the acchitect will put the project "out to bid." 7) After bids aze received the Finance Director will prepare Requests for Proposals to "bid out" the financing of the project. Aten-yeaziease-purchase agreement is the recommended financing instrument to fund the majority of the project. Consideration of aseven-year agreement will be analyzed during development of the FY00-02 Financial Plan. PROPOSED FINANCING 8~c BUDGET INFORMATION For the Fairview "Community Policing Center" Revenues for "Fairview Center" Projec FY99 Budgeted Operating Revenues for Project 37,500 FY00 Proceeds from Lease-Purchase Agreement .152,000 $189,500 _FXpenditures for "Fairview enter" Project,~estimatPl Design & Plans, Administration of Bidding, Construction & Inspections 7,500 Building Construction 152,000 Furnishings (e.g., office furniture, tables & chairs, whiteboard, refrigerator, etc.) 15,000 Contingency 15,000 $189,500 Budget~y Notes Regarding Proj ce .t~. Almost all of the construction costs for the building will be financed by a ten year lease purchase agreement for $152, 000 -the estimated total construction cost is also $1 S2, 000. For forecasting purposes a five (S.0) percent interest rate was calculated. Construction estimates for commercial buildings average between $70-80 per square foot, the estimate for this project is conservatively based on the higher end of the scale at $80 per square foot. The construction of this project is also predicated on the donation of the necessary land at Fairview Park by Orange County. The $37,500 of operating revenues budgeted for FY99 will be used to cover most of the cash requirements for this project. Funds not used for these items by the end of FY99 (by June 30, 1999) will be encumbered and carried over to FY00 to cover those expenses. The $37,500 of expenses will be used to fund the following portions of the Center project: • $ 7,500 -Design & Plans, Administration of Bidding, Construction & Inspections • $15,000 -Furnishings • $15,000 -Contingency Debt Payment on a 10-year Lease-Purchase $19,500 Maintenance & Repair 1,500 Utilities 2,500 Insurance 300 Miscellaneous 2,000 $25,800 * These estimates do t~ include costs for program operations or Community Policing Costs.