Front Royal poised to move forward on $10-million police station

Do we really want to say ‘no’ to them – they have guns, some town official may have been thinking at Sept. 25 work session. Photos/Roger Bianchini

After work session discussion on September 25, the Front Royal Town Council showed a 5-1 consensus to proceed with construction of a new headquarters for the Front Royal Police Department.  Only Vice-Mayor Eugene Tewalt held out, citing the new total project cost estimate of $10,327,257 (and 88 cents) and uncertainty about tax credits the Economic Development Authority hopes to acquire for a number of community capital improvement projects.

“We can’t afford $10 million … I think we’re dreaming,” Tewalt said of a project cost that council was initially – and mistakenly – led to believe would be $5 million (that was construction cost only); then was corrected up to about $7 million and more recently was discussed at $9 million as bids were poised to go out.

As for the cloak and dagger mystery of the so-called New Market Tax Credits (not named for the Valley town) and their availability, or not, for future community capital improvement projects, there were financial variables put on the table.  Those included a potential $225,000 additional annual debt service.  That debt service was estimated initially at $525,000 with the tax credits, and $750,000 without.  It appeared loss of the tax credits could also impact the term of the bond issue.

Also at issue was how much of a tax increase council would have to approve to pay for the planned police station on Kendrick Lane at Monroe Avenue, across the street from the western edge of the Royal Phoenix Business Park.  Estimates ranged from 3 to 5 cents to as much as 13 cents, phased in over a period of time.

The Town’s current real estate tax rate is 13 cents per $100 of assessed value; the property tax rate is 64 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Despite the steadily climbing costs and uncertainty about the Town’s eventual expense to build the station, when the mayor polled council, all but Tewalt went in the “go” column.

Mayor Tharpe visits with FRPD reps between work session and meeting – ‘We’re good now, right?!?’ as Acting Chief Bruce Hite, right, keeps watchful eye on suspicious character across room.

Jacob Meza said he agreed with Tewalt on the various potential financial scenarios, but suggested council prepare for them all now, including worst case, to enable the project to proceed.

John Connolly observed that all the financial variables have been before council for awhile – “None of this is a surprise; none of this is shocking – the question is do we want a legitimate police station that will serve the needs of the department?” Connolly said.  He added that the public input he had received indicated that “the people of this town want it” – and by what he called a unanimous margin.

Of Tewalt’s worry that change orders could drive costs up another million to million-and-a-half dollars, Connolly pointed out that council had authorized a contract ($173,400) for a clerk of the works to oversee the construction project for the Town.  The role of the clerk of works is to head off or minimize additional expenses as the construction project proceeds.

A vote on approval of the New Market Tax Credit application and proceeding with the project at the $10,327,258 cost is scheduled for the October 10 council meeting.

The new two-building design planned for Kendrick Lane, across the street from the Royal Phoenix-Avtex site, is projected to accommodate department needs 25 years into the future.  FRPD currently rents the old WCSO headquarters on Jackson Street at a cost of just over $4,000 a month.  The town police moved into that 7,236-square foot space from the 4,032-s.f. former FRPD headquarters in 2013 due to a combination of space and contamination issues discovered during work on the West Main Street headquarters.

Artist’s rendering of the main entrance to a new FRPD headquarters presented at an earlier work session.

(Additional info on tax hikes and bond issue will be added as available)