The Oconto County Board charged ahead with its plan to build a law enforcement center in the middle of Oconto, snubbing an attempt to slow momentum on the project to consider alternative sites.
The board on Thursday approved a six-part resolution that follows its September decision to build the center adjacent to the courthouse. With the resolution’s 28-1 passage, supervisors reversed their decision to build on a 14-acre parcel in Little River and voted to put that land up for sale. They confirmed last month’s vote to build the center on the block north of the courthouse and agreed to begin the process of acquiring the 14 properties located there.
The county will negotiate with the city of Oconto to relocate utilities for the proposed center and vacate Adams Street from Park Avenue to Arbutus Street and two alleys on the block north of the courthouse.
Supervisor Rose Stellmacher urged supervisors to reconsider other sites for the center, saying the courthouse site may not be large enough. She also recommended building the center on vacant land on the outskirts of Oconto by Wagner Shell.
“I just think maybe we should take a second look at that (land). We would save a lot of money by not having to purchase those existing homes, pay for relocation, pay for demolition,” she said.
Administrative Coordinator Kevin Hamann responded by saying the 4.7 acres that make up the block north of the courthouse is estimated to be large enough, although space for parking may require additional land, depending on how the center is designed. The soil and water conditions of the land by Wagner Shell make it less desirable as a building site, he added.
Former Oconto Mayor Don Nerenhausen told supervisors locating the center north of the courthouse would have a profoundly negative effect on the city.
“Here is a million dollars in tax base. Loss of this tax base is going to affect the city of Oconto, and it’s also going to affect the county,” he said.
The ideal location is in the town of Little River, he told supervisors. The site had long been the County Board’s top choice until last month’s amendment.
“All of a sudden we were blindsided, without notification, without a public hearing,” Nerenhausen said of the switch.
Locating the center in residential area would be detrimental to the neighborhood, he added.
“No matter how you build a jail, it’s going to look like a prison. We don’t need that in the heart of the city of Oconto,” he said.
Stellmacher’s attempt to postpone a vote on the law enforcement center resolution failed when no one would second her motion. She cast the only vote in opposition to the resolution.
The design work and acquisition of property is expected to take at least a year. County officials may choose to remodel the offices of the Sheriff’s Department and Emergency Management Center and keep the existing 9-1-1 center at the courthouse. Construction of the center would begin after a final plan is approved.
“I don’t expect this project to be completed for at least four to five years,” Hamann said. “There’s a lot more to be done.”
The county proposes using $3 million of its fund balance in 2014 for the center: $1.7 million for the acquisition of property and $1.3 million for design work.
The facility is expected to cost up to $25 million. At that price, taxpayers would be billed $25 per year for 20 years on a $100,000 home to pay for the project.
The new center would replace an outdated facility in the courthouse complex that needs major repairs. Capacity is also a issue. The jail cannot accommodate today’s prison population, requiring the county to house inmates in other facilities.
Rymer praised supervisors for their support of a new law enforcement center. He said the September vote for construction and funding was the most important vote of his 18 years as chairman.
“I’m glad the County Board decided to move ahead,” Rymer said.
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