April 10, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
The new Smithville Police Department building may be operational by August.
Smithville Mayor Josh Miller said Friday that construction is proceeding well and that the outside portion of the building may be completed by around the first of July.
“I spoke with Wayne Oakley of Studio Oakley Architects, Lebanon (city’s architect) this week and they are hoping to have the outside of the building complete by the Jamboree. That doesn’t mean the inside will be finished. Hopefully we will get the officers transferred from the old building to the new one sometime in August,” said Mayor Miller.
The contractor, Boyce Ballard Construction of Murfreesboro, got the bid for construction of the police department building at $2,395,000 but the city issued up to $2.5 million in bonds for the project. After groundbreaking last fall construction ground to a halt after Boyce Ballard Construction encountered unsuitable soils on the site. The city and contractor agreed to split the cost to remedy the problem. The city’s portion was up to $50,000. Since then the city has had a few other add-ons still Mayor Miller said the project is within budget.
“The city budgeted $2.5 million through a bond issue. There has been some add-ons including the soil issue but we are within budget although we will still have to furnish the building but that will be addressed in next year’s budget,” said Mayor Miller.
The facility will have a total roofed area of 12,800 square feet which includes a 1,400 square foot sally port. It is to encompass a front lobby, records clerk office, hallways, three holding cells, armory, conference and training rooms, offices for the chief, captain, detectives, and other officers, rooms for records, evidence, investigations, filing reports, locker room, electrical room, closets, restrooms, and break room.