By Craig Anderson

MILFORD — A new city police station is moving forward, as bids for its construction are being evaluated.

Lincoln-based construction manager Robert Y. Johnson & Son is examining proposals for 17 different trades needed for the nearly $17 million project. More than 50 bidders are vying for the work, and there were five alternate bids, City Manager Mark Whitfield said.

Once the lowest bids are determined, that information will be turned over to Mr. Whitfield, city finance director Lou Vitola and public works manager Mike Svaby. The trio will review the findings and establish its recommendations.

If the lowest bid is not recommended, they must justify why, Mr. Svaby said.
The bid packages involve such services as site work, concrete work, masonry, steel work, carpentry/general work and roofing, as well as furnishing doors, hardware, storefront glass, drywall/metal studs, acoustics, floor coverings, caulking and painting, casework, mechanical equipment, sprinkler systems, electrical implements and preengineered metal.

Mr. Svaby said other features under consideration include an alternate parking lot size and a separate maintenance building. He said bids will be posted soon here and on the city's website.

Bids also were publicly announced by Robert Y. Johnson via Zoom.

The recommendations will tentatively be presented to the Police Facility Citizens Advisory Committee for review no later than April 14. They will then be brought before City Council for a vote on which to approve. The item is listed on the council’s April 25 agenda.

If approved, Mr. Svaby said, a groundbreaking for the project is expected in June. Construction of the roughly 28,000-square-foot building could take approximately 15 to 16 months, he said.

A bond issuance, authorized in January 2020, will finance the project, Mr. Vitola said.
Becker Morgan Group designed the replacement station, to be located at 400 N.E. Front St., across from the current facility — a building that has been in use since 1979, when the agency employed about 22 officers. MPD entered 2022 with a force of 37, plus a larger support staff, Chief Kenneth Brown said when planning the construction.

Another improvement, he said, was expanding the agency’s training room capacity from about 25 people to approximately 100.

In addition, increased handicapped accessibility and a more secure sally port to take detainees into holding cells are part of the package, he said.

On Thursday, Chief Brown added, “We are very excited to be at this point, and the anticipation is growing tremendously since we have been working on this project since 2009. It will be a huge help to have adequate space, a clean environment and improved safety for our members and the public.

“Currently, we are very close to becoming state-accredited, and with the new building, it should be an easy transition into the (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies’ approval).”