Orange City is moving forward with plans to remodel the former Vander Pol Excavating building into a police station, with renovations preliminarily estimated at $600,000.
City Administrator Matt Van Schouwen says the City Council approved a property exchange agreement and authorized staff to develop plans and specifications for the building along Highway 10 near Industrial Bypass Road on the west side of town.
The project would relocate the Orange City Police Department from City Hall, where Police Chief Jim Pottebaum says the department has outgrown its space. The department now has nine full-time officers and one part-time officer.
Property Exchange and Project Costs
Van Schouwen says the city considered several options, including expanding within City Hall and moving to other locations, before pursuing the former excavating company property.
“The council formally approved the exchange agreement with Vander Pol Excavating and authorized city staff to proceed with plans and specifications for the remodel of that space,” Van Schouwen said.
The agreement involves exchanging additional city-owned property at the former airport site for the Vander Pol property. Van Schouwen says the company has relocated to the former airport runway site, where it is using older airport buildings and constructing new facilities.
The former Vander Pol property was appraised at $450,000. Combined with Beck Engineering’s preliminary $600,000 renovation estimate, that puts the property value and anticipated remodeling work at approximately $1.05 million. That figure includes the value of the property being acquired through the exchange, rather than representing an entirely cash-funded construction expense.
Van Schouwen says an additional monetary adjustment was involved because the exchanged properties were not equal in value. He did not specify that amount.
He says the next step is seeking bids for the remodeling work.
The council would then need to approve a bid and construction contract. Van Schouwen says an unexpectedly high bid could prompt the city to reconsider the project’s scope.
The interviews did not establish a funding plan, potential property-tax impact, or construction and move-in dates. In an earlier Facebook response to a resident’s tax concerns, the police department said it would seek more information before providing an answer.
More Space, Privacy, and Security
Pottebaum says the department had five officers when he started in 1998 and expanded after taking on contracted police service for Alton. Its current staffing has placed increasing pressure on the available space.
The proposed station would include a larger squad room with individual workstations and computers, offices for leadership and investigative work, and space for future staffing needs.
Pottebaum says the move would address challenges officers face when leaving the current downtown station for emergency calls.
“I feel it would improve public safety in general and really help our response times due to the location. You know, we can just get out on the highway and go. Right now, it’s just not easy getting out of the downtown area in a hurry. And it’s simply not safe,” Pottebaum said. “There’s just too many people and pedestrians where we’re at, at our current space.”
Another priority is providing more privacy for people reporting crimes or meeting with officers. Currently, visitors must be escorted through City Hall’s hallways.
Plans for the new location include an area where visitors could contact the sheriff’s office by telephone if officers are away from the building. Officers could then be notified that someone needs assistance.
The facility would also provide indoor vehicle space, a bay for evidence-related work, dedicated space for the K9 unit, and more secure evidence and property storage.
Pottebaum says those improvements would help protect evidence from contamination, damage, loss, and unauthorized access. Planned security features include cameras, access controls, and restricted areas.
“And I just feel it would provide a strong workplace environment by boosting morale. And like you say, help recruit strong candidates to join our team,” Pottebaum said.
Although the city’s initial announcement referenced an expanded holding room, Van Schouwen clarified that the project does not include holding cells. Instead, plans call for two secure interview or interrogation rooms. People requiring detention would be transferred to the sheriff’s office.
A future use for the police department’s current space in City Hall was not confirmed in the interviews.
