New station in the works

Council will be asked to vote on the legislation during Monday's regular meeting.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- City council voted to approve a request for legislation to borrow $1.6 million to construct, furnish and equip a new police station.
The vote was taken during a special council meeting Tuesday. The vote was needed because council failed to approve the request at last week's regular meeting, said Mayor Art Magee.
Council will be asked to vote on the legislation during Monday's regular meeting.
The city is planning to borrow the money through the sale of bonds.
Council members decided to approve the legislation after a brief presentation from Randall P. Baker, an architect with Baker, Bednar & amp; Associates Inc. of Howland. Baker showed council plans for the building, which includes a workout area for officers, locker rooms, large evidence rooms and a secured area to bring in prisoners.
The new safety center is to be built off School Street, a block away from the current facility on Liberty Street.
The mayor had also asked council to make requests for several pieces of legislation but a few lawmakers balked, saying they felt they were being rushed.
"I got 16 ordinances at 10 minutes to 7 and was being asked to request them," said Councilman William Williams. "That's not enough time."
For a few
Council did ask for legislation for a few that dealt with the downtown renovations, but chose to wait on ordinances dealing with the job changes of two positions and the remodeling of the fire station.
The mayor had asked council to abolish the position of the mayor's secretary and the position of superintendent of streets and create the post of administrative assistant to the mayor and superintendent of public service.
"I'm asking for this because these two people have been given more responsibility," Magee said.
The secretary makes $21,000 and the street superintendent $35,000. The ordinances would make the administrative assistant's salary $26,000 and the superintendent of streets' $42,000.
sinkovich@vindy.com.