UMATILLA, Ore.-Voters in Umatilla approved Measure 30-168 to fund a new police station on November 4.
The $19.8 million general obligation bond, which will dedicate property tax revenue toward the construction of a new UPD station, passed by a 53 percent to 46 percent margin.
“We are pleased to be moving forward with this police station project as we plan for Umatilla’s public safety over the next 20 years,” said Umatilla City Manager David Stockdale.
Measure 30-168 is a 20-year bond measure that will use a shared tax rate of 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value from both businesses and Umatilla residents to fund construction of the station.
According to the City of Umatilla, corporations in the Greater Umatilla Enterprise Zone will pay for about 93.5 percent of the total cost of the project, with residents and other businesses picking up the tab for the rest, which comes to about $35 per year for the median Umatilla property owner.
“The City is committed to the responsible use of local resources and tax dollars to improve the livability and safety here in Umatilla,” said Stockdale. “We are excited about the opportunity to leverage funds from new corporate development for this important project.”
The Umatilla City Council has also approved a Public Safety Center Credit that will take effect now that Measure 30-168 has passed.
Each household will receive the credit equal to its new property tax payment on a utility bill in the spring or early next summer, following their November tax payment, according to the City.
The new 14,000 square-foot station will include dedicated space for UPD officers to meet with victims or witnesses and conduct secure interviews. It will also utilize modern technology, have adequate space for evidence storage, and allow officers to access physical and mental health resources.
The new police station will also feature a community room for meetings and events and will allow the Umatilla PD the space to grow with additional staff in the future.
Umatilla will complete the design permitting and bidding processes for the new police station after election results are officially certified.
