By Ryan Hodges | WBBJ
The City of Jackson’s Budget Committee, along with Mayor Scott Conger, met to discuss a needs assessment regarding a new public safety complex.
This complex would include the Jackson Police Department, as well as Jackson Fire Station 1.
“Today the budget committee approved the budget amendment to hire an architectural engineer firm to work on the planning,” Conger said.
This budget amendment is for an amount that cannot exceed $250,000.
“That’s the comprehensive study, plan, design, drawings, all but the construction of it,” Conger said.
Mayor Conger has a plan to try and fund the construction through state and federal funding.
“So we’ve talked to our state senator and congressman about those community investment funds that they have at both levels. So the timing of this works out so they can do a comprehensive study, plan, and design, so that we know what the amount is and that we can make the appropriate asks,” Conger said.
The current building is nearly 50-years-old. Chief of Police Thom Corley says it is time for an update and Mayor Conger says this is a critical move that needs to be made.
The budget committee will bring this before the city council in November.