Public Safety Training Facility: Woodbury Balks at Supporting Measure Seeking State Funds

The city of Woodbury on Wednesday decided to hold off on issuing a letter of support regarding a request for state funds for a new public safety training facility.

The proposal, in its early stages, is for Woodbury and Cottage Grove to partner on an estimated $10 million, 28,000-square-foot complex. It would likely include a firing range and “a clean burn building for fire, and a simulation lab for EMS,” according to a council memo.

In order to meet a June 21 deadline, Cottage Grove submitted an application for state bonding money, which would, if approved, pay half the cost.

The Woodbury City Council discussed the matter during a workshop Wednesday, July 10.

It quickly became clear that some council members were uncomfortable with the idea for asking for bonding bill funds for a project that has not been fleshed out.

As Councilman Christopher Burns put it, it seemed like “ready, fire, aim” rather than ready, aim, fire.

“I wouldn’t do it now,” he said.

Woodbury staff said a resolution of support for the bonding request would not tie the city to the project and if council members felt uncomfortable as the process moves along, they could always pull the plug.

Councilman Paul Rebholz said the plan should “have a little more meat on the bones” before going to the Legislature for bonding bill funds.

Council members also said the cities should look to add partners, be they neighboring towns, the private sector, area colleges or Washington County.

With the number of funding requests bonding bills receive, it makes sense to have a clearer plan before seeking money, said Rebholz, who also questioned whether asking for funds for the training facility would preclude Woodbury from receiving dollars for other projects.

The plan, Rebholz said, is “not ready for prime time.”

If the bonding request does not go before the Legislature in the 2014 session, it would likely be pushed back to 2016, City Administrator Clint Gridley said. He also noted that Woodbury does not typically receive bonding money from the state, and a regional training facility may fit parameters for securing funds.

Regardless of the timing, a new facility is needed, said Fire Chief Todd Johnson, as there are many logistical challenges to how Woodbury currently conducts training at locations outside the city.

Woodbury Public Safety needs a place “where we can actually bring out our tools and use them,” Johnson said.