The Sarnia Police Service (SPS) Board has approved a motion to improve transparency regarding future large contracts as major renovations are anticipated at the Christina Street facility.
SPS Board Member and Councillor Chrissy McRoberts presented a successful motion to have the top three bids included in reports that detail high-cost capital projects requiring a Request for Proposal (RFP), similar to what's presented during council meetings.
"It's the public's money, so they get to see the quotes," McRoberts said during Thursday's police board meeting.
For example, repairs to the building's front steps, which are currently blocked off, are expected to be a large expenditure.
Deputy Chief Michael Van Sickle said he has been in regular contact with city staff and has requested a meeting to understand the RFP process.
While the police board waits to hear whether or not city council will approve a $3.5 million capital funding request for station repairs, three projects could start immediately by utilizing existing funds.
"These three projects are highly likely to be initiated in very short order," Van Sickle told the police board.
One project the service plans to undertake is replacing the existing underground fuel tank, which is believed to be original to the building from approximately 1986 or 1987.
The recommended approach is to replace the tank with a modern above-ground steel fuel tank, read the police report.
The replacement project is hoped to be completed by the end of this year or early next year. While the cost was estimated at $250,000, it was quoted at $139,208.
"I must caution, these aren't the final prices. They become a lot more specific as we engage the conversation with a specific vendor," Van Sickle said, adding it was important to provide an update on where these projects currently stand.
The service also wants to install panic strips in areas such as the cell block, stairways, and interview rooms -- where prisoners are routinely moved. In case of an emergency, the panic strips would allow for a notification to go out through the building's overhead paging system.
The safety measure was quoted at $82,948, with an estimated completion date of November 2027.
Parking lot safety enhancements were also listed as an immediate project, as there have been reported instances of people entering the area and allegedly threatening staff.
An estimated cost and timeline were not included in the report, as Van Sickle said they're currently considering their options.
"Parking is a challenge for us right now, so utilizing gates that may encroach on our limited parking space needs to be assessed, he told Sarnia News Today. "Even the types of openers that we're going to use to get in and out and whether our fleet cars will have an automatic [device] that opens the door, how the staff who work within the organization are going to be able to open the gates, so it's those kinds of little nuance things that we're still working towards."
Van Sickle said the three projects do not require RFPs.
"These ones fall within the parameters of the board's policy and the service's policy with respect to identifying a specific vendor," Van Sickle said. "We do our due diligence. It may not be an RFP but we're certainly doing the work to identify the best vendor for us."
During Thursday's meeting, the board also recognized the promotions of Staff Sgt. Miro Soucek and Sgt. Jeff Simm.
