Lakeville City Council at Odds Over Old Police Station’s Future

Lakeville’s City Council took an unexpected vote on Tuesday over whether to place Lakeville’s old and vacant police station on the market.

The measure, proposed and supported by City Council member Colleen Ratzlaff Labeau, was defeated 2-2. Mayor Mark Bellows also voted in favor of the move while Council members Kerrin Swecker and Matt Little voted against it. Council member Laurie Rieb was absent.

The motion comes three weeks after a work session where the old police station being converted into a new home for Lakeville’s Senior Center and Historical Society was the prominent topic of conversation.

At that meeting, held Jan. 24, the council leaned toward moving forward with a facility and feasibility study to see if such a move would work.

Currently, Lakeville’s Senior Center is near capacity, City Administrator Steve Mielke said. It’s also projected to grow to two-three times the membership it has today, he said.

Also, Lakeville’s Historical Society currently facility has access issues for those in wheel chairs and moving would be a benefit, officials said.

But converting the vacant police station, which was valued at $1.6 million, into a new facility for the Historical Society and Seniors Center could cost more than $500,000, and repairs to the roof and HVAC units is needed, Mielke said.

“As baby-boomers retire… we don’t know the impacts, but I think it’s going to be big. Real big,” said Parks and Recreation Director Steve Michaud about the growth of the Senior Center.

Converting the old police station would more than double the square-footage of the Senior Center, which is only a 5,000 square-foot facility. That building is valued at $400,000.

Mayor Mark Bellows and Council member Kerrin Swecker said they would support tax neutral options, but would need more information before spending a lot to rehab the old police station.

The issue is expected to come before the council at a future work session.