Flagler police to get new, roomier building

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Flagler police to get new, roomier building

By NICOLE SERVICE

Staff Writer

Daytona Beach News-Journal Fri, 29 Jul 2005

Last update: July 30, 2005

http://www.news-

journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Flagler/03FlaglerFLAG0107300

5.htm

FLAGLER BEACH -- After nearly two years of debate, Flagler Beach

officials finally agreed on a solution to their mold-plagued police

department building: Build a new one.

The City Commission voted unanimously Thursday to spend $765,000 on

a new police headquarters instead of trying to renovate a

deteriorated 19-year-old building.

Police officers have been working out of trailers since April 2004

when concerns about mold forced them out of their Flagler Avenue

office after just two decades.

Problems with the building weren't limited to mold, Commissioner Bob

Mish said in an interview Friday. To make the building functional

again, major repairs would be required for the roof, sewer pipes,

rain gutters, electrical wiring, air conditioning system and

emergency generator. Plus, the exterior and interior walls would

have to be cleaned and repainted, he said.

" Nineteen years isn't that old, but, evidently, it wasn't built that

well, " Mish told the commission Thursday.

The department staff first relocated to a cramped, single-wide

trailer, but employees felt there was no room to move. They recently

upgraded to a triple-wide trailer while city leaders decided how to

solve the problem.

Options reviewed Thursday ranged from spending $73,000 to improve

the existing building to demolishing the structure and building a

new headquarters.

Commissioners went for the more expensive option, but decided to

keep the old building as storage space.

Commissioner Ron Vath was hesitant about building a new

headquarters, saying he didn't think it was needed.

" I just don't see doubling the size. I could be wrong, " Vath

said. " I just don't see us growing that much. "

He suggested renovating the structure and adding a 660-square-foot

addition for $376,000.

Flagler Beach resident Joann Riccardi said she supports building a

new headquarters even though she doesn't like the price tag.

" I don't know about the police officers, but I don't have much

confidence in that building to go back into it, " she said. " As a

taxpayer, I am not happy about the dollar amount, but the longer we

wait, the more costly this becomes. "

Phyllis Carmel, another Flagler Beach resident, also spoke in favor

of a new building.

" It's not fair to the policemen to have them crowded together, " she

said.

The city hopes the new structure will be ready within 18 months.

Police Chief Free said now that his officers know a new home

is being built, he's sure they can survive some more time in the

triple-wide. They've already survived two years in a single-wide, he

said.

nicole.service@...