On May 15, 2013, The Moseley Architects group presented to The Town of Vienna Council the “Virginia Police Facility Space Needs Assessment Square Footage Summaries,” this report included the recommendation to increase the square footage of the Vienna Police Station.
On June 8, 2020, the Vienna Town Council planned on spending roughly 40 percent of the hard-earned tax dollars of thousands of Vienna residents to expand and modernize the Vienna Police Department. The total cost of materials alone is $13,053,585.00 dollars. Completion of this project will end around 2030 and will cost Vienna taxpayers $20-30 million dollars after construction and upkeep.
The Vienna Police Department located at 215 Center St S., will be raised two stories and expand an additional 30,763 square feet. This cost will include electronic charging ports for vehicles and florescent lighting for benches and walkways. The building will also be fitted and adapted to use solar energy with the installation of solar panels on the roof, making the building electrically self-sufficient.
The Town Council work session held through Zoom within the Town Hall on June 8, 2020 did not allow for voting on actions or spending as the town council met virtually, from the safety of their homes and offices in fear of the well-known Coronavirus. A small amount of town citizens did manage to gather in the town hall, some willing to object to the excessive use of tax-dollars.
For a full breakdown of what the building will look like once completed, check out: Town of Vienna Police Department, courtesy of the official Town of Vienna website.
A petition on the halting of the Vienna Police Department’s construction and other aspects of the nation as it goes through racial turmoil currently has 900 out of the desired 1000 signatures required to stop the construction. Citizens argue there is no need to spend upwards of 40 percent of Vienna’s 2020 budget on law enforcement. Instead, some argue, the money should go to improving school programs and updating curriculum. If anyone is interested in signing or finding out a little more about what the petition will be used for, make sure to check out this link: Halt the Vienna Department Construction Project pending a commission report.
By Alex Fernandez