$175M Lansing public safety bond passes

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - The Lansing police and fire safety bond passed Tuesday. The bond will pay for replacing old buildings built in the 1950′s and 60′s with a new location on South Washington Avenue.

• $175M public safety bond will raise property taxes in Lansing if passed in November
• $175 million public safety bond proposal draws criticism at Lansing City Council meeting

Supporters say the new buildings will help address health and safety issues for people who work in them.

The facilities where Lansing first responders work and live are in need of some significant repairs, portable air conditioners, caving ceilings, and asbestos in the roof. Some of the conditions will improve after Lansing voters approve a new bond on Election Day.

“We feel that from a customer service standpoint the better we take care of our internal customers, our firefighters, and police, that in turn, reflects on how well they take care of our community,” said Lansing Fire Chief Brian Sturdivant. The money raised will help the police department build a new precinct, the city lockup, and the district court.

“Our concern is public safety, not buildings and for us to take this kind of off our plate now and focus back on public safety now and keeping everyone safe and happy within the City of Lansing is a big relief for me,” said Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee.

Fire station nine is without a women’s restroom.

“We will be able to separate from a gender divide standpoint, male and female privacy facilities, locker rooms and showers which has always been a bit of a concern,” said Chief Sturdivant. “We will be able to separate the toxic equipment that we use on a daily basis from the common living areas within the firehouses. We will be able to separate our workout areas from our sleeping areas because our firefighters already deal with sleep deprivation.”

Chief Sosebee says a committee is starting to be formed to lead the project.

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