By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Great Bend city officials met with the contractor and architect last week going over an interior punch list of the newly constructed Justice Center at the intersection of 12th Street and Baker Avenue. New furniture is expected to arrive this week as the Oct. 20 open house date gets closer.
The 20,100 square-foot facility nearly triples the size of the current police station on Williams, and Assistant City Administrator Logan Burns said the building will give the police department room to grow in the future.
"Just in the locker rooms, we have added lockers," said Burns. "At the very beginning of this, we did a study on what this department might grow into. There are a few extra offices. From the planning standpoint of how this building was originally designed, there's definitely room to grow."
Burns said the timing of the new police station comes at a point where both the police department and fire department are fully staffed.
"I believe that starts at the top with Police Chief Steve Haulmark and the culture he's built there and getting people excited to work everyday," said Burns. "It's department wide, everybody involved has helped. I think you've really seen a culture change in police and fire. We're at a pretty good point right now."
Burns anticipated the transfer of the police station’s evidence room will be the most challenging with the regulations on how and who can move the items.
The $8.8 million Justice Center will also house the municipal court.