City Council

CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION AGENDA Tuesday, June 20, 2023  5:00 p.m. City Hall  1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights 1. Call to Order 2. Discussion a. Police Station/City Hall Renovation Project 3. Adjourn Alternative formats or auxiliary aids are available to individuals with disabilities upon request. Please contact city hall at 651-452-1850 or cityhall@mendotaheightsmn.gov. _________________________________________________City Council Work Session Memo DATE: June 20, 2023 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Cheryl Jacobson, City Administrator Kelly McCarthy, Chief of Police Ryan Ruzek, Public Work Director SUBJECT: Police/City Hall Renovation INTRODUCTION Staff will discuss with council the renovation/remodeling of the city’s municipal campus which includes the police department and city hall offices. BACKGROUND The Mendota Heights Police Department and City Hall facility was first constructed in 1987. The current police department and city hall building is comprised of approximately 24,000 square feet, spread over two floors. The Mendota Heights municipal campus, which includes the city’s police department and city hall offices, serves as a symbol of local identity and plays a critical role in the community. Built to model a single-family home, after nearly 40 years of life, the building’s design and systems are out of date, inefficient and the building generally lacks the space needed to effectively serve the community. Working with CNH Architects, the city completed a detailed facility needs analysis in the fall of 2020. The analysis provided evidence-based recommendations that addressed the interior and exterior needs of the physical building as well as the operational needs of the Police Department, City Hall and the citizens of the Mendota Heights. The space needs analysis key findings included: • Spatially, the Police Department has reached capacity. The Department lacks the proper, secure work and storage space and requires expansion to meet modern policing demands. Multiple areas are overgrown including a shortage of employee work and training space, a garage unable to house the department’s squad cars, and  a department briefing room which serves as a breakroom, emergency operations center, evidence processing space, and equipment cleaning space. • A significant need for improvements that address facility safety and operational concerns. Elevated by the civil unrest of 2020, the need for exterior building improvements became ever more apparent. The Mendota Heights Police Department is located on the lower level of the building, with its residential design which includes wood framing, and non-commercial grade crank out windows, security is significantly compromised. Other solutions such as impact resistant window film and other mediation efforts were explored and found to not be cost effective because of the building style. Other concerns such as the lack of a sally port and a second vehicle access to Lexington Avenue, which is the primary outlet from the facility, are desperately needed. • Providing the critical space needed to ensure that crime victims can speak freely and without fear of being overheard by others is paramount in maintaining confidentially. By ensuring this privacy, the Police Department can foster trust and cooperation with victims and the community. In addition to functional space needs, the Mendota Heights Police Department aims to address the needs of neurodiverse stakeholders by designing space that is inclusive to the way that people experience and interact with the department and city hall. It is important for the Mendota Heights Police Department to have space for neurodiverse stakeholders to promote inclusivity, understanding, and effective engagement with the entire community. ACTION RECOMMENDED/REQUESTED Staff have submitted for preliminary consideration a State bonding request to assist in funding the building renovations. As part of the submittal, the city council must confirm support for the project by passing a resolution. Council will be asked to discuss the project during the work session. If agreed upon, a resolution of support would be considered at the July 5 city council meeting.