By David DeKunder
Staff Writer

The Selma City Council July 10 approved $4.9 million in public projects, including the construction of a $3.3 million police station.

The new 13,000-square foot police station, which will be built on Corporate Drive, was one of four construction projects the council awarded contracts for. Council members also gave approval for the construction of a 1 million-gallon elevated water storage tank, an animal control shelter and a public works building.

O’Haver Construction of San Antonio was awarded the contract for the new Selma Police Department station, with groundbreaking expected within the next month. The contract calls for the police station to be completed within a year.

City Administrator Ken Roberts said O’Haver’s original bid was $4.1 million, which came above the original $3.3 million price tag. He said the city and the company were able to negotiate back to the original price of $3.3 million by making some floor plan adjustments while still meeting the Police Department’s needs.

“We feel we can come with a fully operational building at $3.3 million,” Roberts said. “As the need arises, it can be expanded.”

The project will be paid through certificates of obligation.

Police Chief Syd Hall said the new police station will allow his department to meet the needs of a growing city.

“With the way our department is growing, it will give us the facilities we need to do our job,” Hall said. “We have outgrown our present facility, we need more space.”

The Selma Police Depart-ment is currently housed in a building behind City Hall.

Since the new police station will be built where the present animal control facility is located, the council approved $85,000 from the reserve fund to build a newer animal facility, which will have five indoor kennels, cages for cats and an adjacent workroom.

The city is looking at building the new animal control facility near the site of its 1 million-gallon elevated water storage tank in the Live Oak Hills subdivision, or at a new well site off of Lookout Road and Enterprise Drive.

Mayor Jack Parma said he prefers to see the new animal control facility located at the Enterprise and Lookout Road site because it would not be located near any neighborhoods.

Council members approved a $1.5 million contract for the construction of its second 1 million-gallon elevated storage tank. The tank would be built on city-owned property in Selma Park Estates with $1.3 million coming from certificates of obligation, $225,000 from the city’s capital improvements budget and $35,000 from the city’s contingency fund. It will be built next to the golf-ball-shaped water tower, which will be sold to another city once the new tower is in full operation.

The council approved $60,000 for the construction of a building that will give the public works department enough space to house its vehicles and equipment.

In other business, the council looked at a rough draft of a proposed ordinance that would raise animal control fees.

Roberts said the city’s current animal control fee shelter is “woefully behind” other area cities. The fee for keeping a pet at the shelter is $7.50 per day plus a $1 boarding charge.

Roberts is proposing that the city hike its animal shelter fees to $30 for the first day, $40 for the second day and $50 per day for three days or more a pet is in the shelter. The boarding fee would be upped to $8 a day.

Councilman Phil Sweeney said he was concerned the first-day animal control fee proposed by Roberts would be too costly for pet owners to bear.

“I am concerned that this $30 per day (fee), $8 per day (boarding) pound fee maybe too harsh,” Sweeney said. “People won’t pick up their pets.”

Sweeney suggested the first-day rate be lowered to $20.

The council will consider adopting the adjusted animal control fees at its August meeting. Parma said the council could consider amending the proposed fees at that time.