Beaverton votes for new public safety building

Measure 34-250 leads in very competitive voting

About 50 local dignitaries and supporters of a new police and emergency services building gathered Tuesday evening celebrate what they hope is passage of ballot Measure 34-250, which authorizes bonds to build a public safety center.

Local voters rejected a similar measure two years ago, but as of Wednesday afternoon, the measure was passing with just more than 50 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election results on the Oregon secretary of states website Wednesday morning. With more than 35,000 votes counted, the yes votes had garnered 50.7 percent of the vote.

Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle, Beaverton Interim Police Chief Jim Monger, Beaverton City Council President Marc San Soucie and council members Lacey Beaty and Mark Fagin waited in anticipation while the numbers came in Tuesday night.

Im really glad that the voters were able to support a better and simpler solution than we had two years ago, San Soucie said.

Fagin commended voters for understanding the importance of passing the measure.

This is something we need and they understand that what were doing is not out of want, but need, he said. Im glad the community understands that.

Beaty and her husband are a military couple, and Lacey Beaty said she fully understands the need for preparedness.

We desperately need the public services center, she said. We want our police ready to serve and we need to be prepared.

This is a great day for our city, for our police officers and for our emergency responders, Doyle added. Were grateful for the support from our residents of this department, which is in the top 47 in the United States for cities over 70,000.

The bond measure money will be used construct a public safety center on city-owned property at the corner of Southwest Hall Boulevard and Southwest Allen Boulevard.

The 90,000-square-foot building will be built to critical-facility standards to withstand a major earthquake, moves police facilities out of a flood zone, provides private areas for crime victims and minors and will include an Emergency Operations Center with disaster-response equipment.

The location of the new building also allows for more efficient police and emergency response, and consolidates all police and emergency management services in one location.

Its important for police to respond to emergency calls for service as quickly and safely as possible, Chief Monger said. Now, our police officers will have a safe and central location for the services they provide to residents. Im very thankful to the Beaverton voters.

Jim McCreight, chair of the city-appointed Public Safety Advisory Committee, is thankful to the voters of Beaverton for recognizing the need for an earthquake-resistant public services facility.

A new facility will increase our first responders ability to act quickly in the event of a major disaster, he said. We look forward to the new facility as soon as possible.

The building that has housed Beavertons police department, municipal courts and emergency management department since 1986 on Southwest Griffith Drive has serious issues and challenges.

It does not have a secure space where officers unload prisoners being brought to the building, nor does it have separate, dedicated areas for writing reports, logging evidence or photographing suspects.

Additionally, it does not have private spaces for victims to communicate with police officers, nor a separate place for registered sex offenders to enter the building for monthly check-ins, forcing the general public and victims of crimes to share hallways and other common spaces.

Because of the current buildings limitations, Beaverton Police has also had to lease a separate site to store confiscated property and evidence.

Another grave concern is if the area were struck by a 100- or 500-year flood. Based on a 2014 ruling by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that raised the level of the flood plain by 12 inches at the Griffith Drive site, the current building now sits within the floodplain.

The predicted Cascadia Earthquake would likely destroy the current facility during a time of great need for emergency services. Additionally, the current building does not meet FEMA standards.

The new public safety center will be built at the site of the current Beaverton Activity Center at the southwest corner of the intersection of Southwest Allen and Southwest Hall boulevards.

The municipal courts and other services will remain at the Southwest Griffith Drive, because it is more centrally located to better serve people dependent on public transportation such as TriMet.

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