The cost
Kyle voters passed Proposition A in the November 2020 bond election, which financed the design, construction and equipment for the Public Safety Center. The bond costs property owners $0.0744 per $100 valuation during the 20-year lifecycle of the general obligation bonds. Since October 2021, an owner of a $216,000 home within city limits saw their property taxes increase approximately $13.50 per month, or $160.50 per year.
The details
The city broke ground on the project in September 2021 to accommodate growth.
The 64,000-square-foot, two-story facility gives the Kyle Police Department the ability to expand its services and house the department in a single location, allowing the department to designate space to:
- Improve emergency response times
- Accommodate victims or residents experiencing trauma as a result of crime
- Create an investigations suite and canine unit
- Manage evidence processing and storage
- Increase officer training and pursue accreditation
- Expand community-based programs and mental health services
- City secretary
- Assistant city manager
- City manager
- Mayor
- Economic development
- Communications department
The Public Safety Center also has an emergency operations center, which will be used as a central command center and allow for collaboration with surrounding counties and authorities during:
- Weather-related natural disasters
- Communitywide security threats
- Major traffic incidents
Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell thanked the police department and voters.
“To accomplish a project of this size requires strategic planning, determination, perseverance, compromise, community involvement, the cultivation of a collective vision, and above all a deeply held belief that what you are doing is right and at the absolutely best interest of the community,” Mitchell said. “The Public Safety Center is here, and it is ready to begin serving our community's needs, for generations to come.”
Police Chief Jeff Barnett thanked the community for its support.
“We feel the love; we feel the support. We are so proud to be your servants,” Barnett said.