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Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
After survey, Bettendorf continues plan for new police station
The City of Bettendorf will continue planning for a new police station after nearly 60% of survey responses showed positivity toward the project, according to a news release. On Monday, June 2, during the Committee of the Whole, the Bettendorf City Council heard a presentation from Community Perceptions, which created the survey that was sent out to residents in April 2024 as the first public step in the process, followed by two informational meetings that were held at the end of April. You can see the presentation here. A summary (+/- 2% statistical margin of error) 2,497 respondents (17.8% response rate) 34% of respondents say they would 'definitely' support paying for a new police station 25% of respondents say they would 'probably' support paying for a new police station 'Receiving this feedback from our residents is immensely important, because they would pay for this project if City Council approves putting it on the ballot as a bond referendum,' said Jeff Reiter, assistant city administrator. 'Cities have very limited ability to levy taxes beyond what is necessary to fund a single year's obligations. The voted referendum tool is the only arrow in the city's quiver for projects such as this police station.' 'The data is very telling, especially when you include the +/- 2% margin of error,' said John Mahon, vice president-Quad Cities, Bray Architects. 'The referendum's threshold is 60% plus one, so this is very encouraging that even very early in the process, people already see the merits of a potential move.' Sixty percent plus one of Bettendorf voters would need to approve the bond referendum, which would allow the city to take out a loan (issue) debt. To help residents see the tax impact on their property, the city has created an estimation for every address that can be assessed here. 'The last time the city put a bond referendum on the ballot was in 1995, when the city asked voters to support the construction of The Learning Campus,' said Decker Ploehn, city administrator. 'The project included building the Family Museum and making renovations to the Bettendorf Public Library, both of which are incredible amenities in the city today.' 'Our city council takes the referendum process very seriously, which is why the city has not put a bond referendum on the ballot in three decades,' added Reiter. 'It shows the fiscal responsibility and good stewardship that Bettendorf residents trust and respect in their City leadership.' The next step in the process is for the city council to decide whether to put the bond referendum on the November 2025 ballot. That decision is expected to take place at one of council's regular meetings in July 2025. For more information on the city's process up to this point, visit here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bettendorf seeks public input on new police station
Bettendorf is looking for input on a major construction project for the city. Due to growth in both population and area, Bettendorf city leaders decided a new police station was necessary. The City Council approved a resolution on April 1, allowing City staff to mail informational letters and surveys to all residents about the need for a new police station. 'When the U.S. Census reported that the City's population grew nearly 18% from 2010-2020, we started exploring how that rapid growth in residents would impact city services,' said Jeff Reiter, Assistant City Administrator and Economic Development Director. 'Having the Bettendorf Police Department in its own building in a centralized location can improve response times and offer greater levels of service to everyone, and now we want to know what the public thinks.' Residents can expect an envelope in their mailboxes the week of April 14, which will include information on the challenges facing the current police station and the proposed solution for a new police station, including: Calls for service are increasing as the city's population grows, Response times to the north of the city are higher because the current police station is located in the southernmost part of the City's boundaries. City growth is in the northern parts. The current police station is land-locked, has unsecure areas, poor/inadequate evidence storage, limited training space and no indoor parking for police vehicles. The current police station was built in 1959, making it the oldest and smallest in the area. The Bettendorf Police Department has 15,350 square feet at its current stations, which was expanded in 2000. In comparison, the Rock Island Police Department has 55,000 square feet, the Moline Police Department has 67,000 square feet and the Davenport Police Department has 138,000 square feet. The City already owns land near its Public Works Annex, which is centrally located. After consulting with architects and construction companies, the City has determined that the land is big enough to hold a 38,000-square-foot police station with secure areas, dedicated training spaces, a garage and space for future growth. The City determined it is less expensive to build a new police station than to relocate City Hall and expand the current police station. In order to pay for a new police station, 60% of Bettendorf voters would need to approve a bond referendum, which would allow the City to take out a loan (issue) debt. Bettendorf has created an estimation for every address to see the tax impacts on their properties. Click here to see a property's estimation. Residents are also encouraged to take the survey that will be mailed to them or fill it out online. The link to the online survey will be in the letters and the survey is confidential. All responses will be collected by an independent research firm, presented to City Council, then posted on the City's website. The deadline to complete the survey is Monday, May 5. Bettendorf is also hosting two meetings so residents can learn more about the proposed project and have questions answered. The meetings will be on Monday, April 28 and Wednesday, April 30 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Waterfront Convention Center, 2021 State Street. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
