In the past 43 years, the City of Starkville has built five (5) fire stations, facilities for our sanitation services, our water department, our electric department, and our parks. All the while, we have never built a facility for the men and women on the front lines of public safety, our police force, or for our general government offices. All of these people work in an inherited, failing facility.
At the time of inheritance, City Hall was a prime example of art-deco architecture and met the needs of a city with less than half of our current population. Its 8,163 square feet that was, and still is, devoted to the City of Starkville Police Department housed less than 20 officers; today, this same square footage houses 53 sworn officers. This arrangement is not only ineffective, but it compromises the safety of officers, municipal employees, and the general public. Given the current size of the police force, we house them in 31% of the needed space, based on the most recent needs assessment.
Likewise, the municipal court in 1960 handled 3,640 cases with 3 employees. In 2010, the court heard 9,873 cases and had 8 employees. There is no space for the attorneys to consult with their clients and witnesses. The court has no prisoner holding space so that those awaiting trial have no secure area in which to be held.
Finally, it is unfair for the City of Starkville to be represented by a facility that is inaccessible to all of our residents and visitors, and by a facility that doesn't meet current or past fire and building codes. Our true strength at the City of Starkville is our employees and they deserve a facility that is representative of their quality of work. Hypocrisy is at the core of a community that lives in facilities that they themselves would not allow in any fashion to be built within their own borders.
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With special thanks given to the Citizen's Municipal Complex Committee whose tireless volunteer efforts produced this plan in a manner steeped in public input, creativity, and the utmost regard for fiscal responsibility. Members include:
- Roy Ruby, Chair
- Frank Chiles
- Robbie Coblentz
- Eric Heiselt
- Emil Lovely
- Bethany Stich
- Bill Webb
- Walter Williams
- Nick Wilson
This Calculator Provides an estimate of yearly tax increase based on Phase One of the project.
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- Land Cost: $1,065,114
- Stormwater: $75,000
- Building Cost: $5,280,000 (26,400 square feet at $200 per square foot)
- Parking and Site Requirements: $600,000 (60,000 square feet at $10.00 square foot)
- Landscaping: $20,000
- Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment, and Fees: $1,254,750
- Total Construction: $8,294,864
- Bond Issuance: $160,136
- TOTAL BOND AMOUNT: $8,455,000
The plan presented consists of two phases covering the construction of a new police complex, a city hall annex, the renovation of the current city hall, stormwater retention, landscaping and parking.
Phase One consists of the purchase of land on the northwest corner of the intersection of Highways 182 and 389 and the construction of:
- A 26,400 square feet police complex
- Secured parking area
- Public parking area
- Stormwater detention and greenspace area
- Sidewalks
Phase Two consists of the construction of:
- A city hall annex constructed to the west of the current city hall
- The renovation of the current city hall, both totaling 30,800 square feet of new or renovated space
- Public parking areas
- Landscaping
For more information on the municipal facilities master plan, including a time line for completion, click the button below.
