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Special election set in Council Bluffs for new P-D HQ

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March 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

City leaders in Council Bluffs, Monday, approved a special election to place a bond issue before the voters, for a new police headquarters. According to the Omaha World-Herald, the vote, which takes place May 3rd, will determine if the city should issue up to $20 million in bonds for a new headquarters for the Council Bluffs Police Department.

The vote Monday was 3-to 2, with council members Melissa Head, Roger Sandau and Sharon White in support of the measure and Al Ringgenberg and Nate Watson in opposition. Ringgenberg preferred a vote during the November general election, set for Nov. 8, when more voters would probably turn out. He also expressed concern about not having enough information about the project.

Three sites for the new headquarters were identified by a study committee and a separate, city-led review of 13 initial proposed locations:

  • Woodbury (just north of NP Dodge on Woodbury Avenue),
  • Google (part of Google’s property near South 24th Street and 34th Avenue)
  • and Sapp Bros. (near 23rd Avenue and South 24th Street).

At its afternoon study session, the Council Bluffs City Council heard the advantages of each site, but a final selection wasn’t made. The overall goal, according to Police Chief Tim Carmody, is to provide a building the police department can use for a century.