Mead residents question $16.6 million police facility plan
Construction is paused as locals debate financing methods and population growth projections for the new station.
By Diego Mendoza ·
Construction on a new police department in Mead is currently paused.
The project, valued at $16.6 million, has drawn pushback from residents in the Weld County town. Many question whether the community needs such a large facility. The town has fewer than 8,000 residents. The current police department operates with 17 sworn officers and 3 civilians.
A sign on the roadside marks the future site of the building. Work behind the construction fencing has stopped. Don Smith, a Mead resident of 11 years, said he felt blindsided by the town's decision to proceed.
Since 2018, voters in Mead have rejected funding proposals for a new police facility four times. Despite this history, town officials held a groundbreaking ceremony last month. Instead of seeking a new tax measure, the town is using Certificates of Participation, known as COPs, to finance the construction.
Smith worries this financing method will leave taxpayers with heavy debt. He noted that the project involves a $22 million loan. "It is going to debt when you pull out a $22 million loan that's going into debt, and you're putting it on the backs on future growth. If we don't grow, then you're putting it on the backs of the current people, maybe going bankrupt," Smith said.
Mead Police Chief Brent Newbanks defended the plan. He stated the building is designed to hold up to 40 officers. Newbanks said approved development projects could triple Mead's population to more than 20,000 people. He argued that preparing for this growth requires adequate facilities.
Newbanks said the facility is intended to serve the community for decades. "By using COPS and spreading that cost out over the next 16 years, it seems like an intelligent move to get the facility in place that will be needed," he said. Smith suggested the town consider other options, such as a community center. "We need to be more conservative, and we need to hear the residents. And when the residents say no, that means no," he said. Newly elected town board members are expected to discuss zoning approval for the project later this month.
