The Valdese Police Department鈥檚 new home will be on Main Street.
The fire department also will get a new permanent home on Massel Avenue near town hall.
The town council unanimously approved Monday night buying the former law office of Marc Mitchell at 215 Main St. Mitchell is a former town attorney.
The council approved purchasing the building for $360,000.
At the end of July, the police department temporarily moved into town hall after a letter from the town鈥檚 contracted architectural firm recommended the department be moved out of its building on Faet Street to ensure staff safety.
A letter to town officials from the architects said structural damage to the portion of the building on Faet Street that was constructed in 1977 is severe, and the town should close and abandon that portion of the public safety building.
People are also reading…
Council members agreed the location for the proposed new police department needs to be on Main Street.
The council also approved a contract with Talley & Smith Architecture for renovations of the future police department building, including bringing it up to code for police use, for $174,755 plus up to $4,000 of reimbursable expenses, said Bo Weichel, the finance director for the town.
The contract would include schematic design for renovations, design and development, construction documents through procurement and construction, Weichel told the council.
The council also approved amending the original contract with Talley & Smith for a study of the current public safety building from $36,000 to $22,400.
Robert Heavner, a co-chair of the facilities review committee, said the committee made a recommendation in June to build a public safety building on Massel Avenue to house both departments.
He said the group changed the recommendation after the building on Main Street became available.
The proposed police station, which will include a new facade, is expected to have a 40-year lifespan, Heavner said. He said the Main Street location will be accessible to the public.
As for the fire department, the town council approved in May the purchase of 1.73 acres at 200 Massel Ave., from Valdese Mills LLC for $400,000 for a future fire department.
On Monday, Council member Rexanna Lowman asked where the fire department was located after the architectural firm鈥檚 letter.
Valdese Fire Chief Truman Walton told the council discussions about potentially moving the fire department came up months ago. Walton said he told town management moving the department was a significant undertaking. He said the fire department has remained in the public safety building.
Lowman asked if they are safe in the building, saying that is her main concern.
Walton said his recommendation is to leave them where they are and risk it until they move into a new building.
Lowman said she doesn鈥檛 like to hear 鈥渞isk it,鈥 saying her main concern is the police officers are safe.
Council member Glenn Harvey said his concern is the architectural firm made the recommendation in writing that the departments move out of that building. He said if the departments don鈥檛 move, Valdese is exposing town employees to danger and exposing the town to liability.
Walton was asked whether the former town hall building that is connected to the public safety building would be suitable for the fire department to move into temporarily until a new department building is constructed. The former two-story town hall section was built in 1927.
Walton said the space would be tight but with renovations the building could work as a temporary home.
The fire trucks could remain where they are, according to officials.
