The Wichita Falls City Council on Tuesday will consider hiring an architect to turn the former Kirby Middle School into a police headquarters, as well as ordinance changes to handle a possible influx of workers to build data centers and other large projects.
The meeting will be at 8:30 a.m. in the Seminar Room of the Multi-Purpose Events Center, 1000 Fifth Street. It is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the city’s website.
Councilors will consider awarding a professional services agreement to Bundy, Young, Sims and Potter Inc. to renovate the former school on Loop 11 into police headquarters and a municipal court facility and for renovation of Fire Station 4 at 5514 Castle Drive.
While the cost of police headquarters may be up to $40 million and renovation of the fire station could be $1.6 million, the agenda items do not specify what the architects will be paid.
Councilors voted on Nov. 4 to buy the 52-year-old decommissioned school from Wichita Falls ISD for $1.25 million to replace the 61-year-old police headquarters.
The council will also conduct a public hearing and take action on changes in ordinances that apply to temporary workforce housing, addressing topics such as people living in RVs, vehicles and manufactured homes.
The subject was discussed in earlier meetings of the Planning and Zoning Commission with city staff pointing out increases in rent in Abilene of $1,000 since the start of that city’s Stargate project.
The ordinance that councilors will consider addresses potential increases in housing costs, utilities capacity, waste management and long-term development implications.
Another hearing at the meeting will be on the allocation of approximately 1.23 million in Community Development Block Grants. Councilors will also consider allocating $94,490 to the Salvation Army facility in Wichita Falls to expand its women’s and children’s wing with federal COVID-19 relief money.
In addition, the City Council will consider a $10,000 grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for spaying and neutering and waiving fees at animal adoption events.
In a closed-door executive session councilors are to get an update on the federal age discrimination lawsuit filed by John Burrus, the city’s former director of aviation, traffic and transportation.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita Falls City Council to weigh police HQ plans, worker influx
Reporting by Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News / Wichita Falls Times Record News
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