Page 395 - City of Bedford FY21 Budget

FUTURE CAPITAL NEEDS

The capital needs below are not in active planning phases, but are projects that the City should
consider in the future. Each project will require design work and a significant capital investment.
As estimated costs or a firm timeline for the projects are not available, they are not included on
the 5-year plan but are detailed below with an explanation of need.

CITY HALL
The current City Hall campus was built in the 1970s and does not offer enough space for the
personnel added over the years. Facilities has been required to retrofit areas to provide workspace
for staff. Additionally, the administrative functions of the City have been spread into multiple
buildings, creating difficulty for citizens that require interaction with different functions. A new
City Hall would provide a one-stop-shop for citizens to access common services. It would also
provide a benefit to staff by bringing administrative functions together and providing space for
future staffing needs.

COMBINED TRAINING CENTER – POLICE & FIRE
At present, there are no in-City facilities available for conducting outdoor training. Out-of-town
training reduces available personnel and increases response time for Fire and Police calls. There
are limited specialized training locations for rescue or SWAT personnel and additional difficulty
in securing access for staff. It is becoming more difficult to arrange times for firearm qualifications
due to the limited number of gun ranges being shared between multiple law enforcement agencies.
The Fire Department currently utilizes Tarrant County College (TCC) Northwest Campus Live
Training Facility. This facility is 20 miles away, requiring Fire units to travel outside the City and
be out-of-service for extended periods. Due to this, only one unit may train at TCC at a time in
order to maintain coverage. The TCC facility is also costly, averaging $4,200 per session, not
including the overtime costs for backfill staffing.

The envisioned facility will include a four-story tower, with a stairwell and a room at each floor
level. At least one floor will have a balcony styled after typical apartments. The tower will have a
roof access and anchors for rappelling. There will be the capability of filling the tower with non-
toxic "theatrical" smoke. The facility will include an internal sound system to simulate audible
sounds such as babies or children crying. Fire sprinklers and standpipes will be included for
training. A classroom building capable of accommodating 25-30 students, storage, and restrooms
are also required. A firing range will be on site and bleachers are needed for holding outside
lectures or spectators.

SECOND STORY EXPANSION OF POLICE DEPARTMENT
When the Law Enforcement Center was designed and built in the 1990s, the expectations of police
officers and the services provided to the community placed the vast majority of sworn personnel,
including supervisors, on the streets for much of their shift – office space was not a need or priority.
After 20 years, the pendulum has swung on expectations and services of law enforcement, with
the addition of state and federal laws. This transitioned the role of the sworn supervisor from
‘street’ personnel to administrative personnel, requiring them to have office space. Space has been
created by refurbishing storage rooms, which barely accommodate basic office furniture or
adequate ventilation. The items previously stored in those areas have been moved to other areas of
the building, however storage locations are becoming scarce. Space can be addressed by building

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