Cramped quarters are pushing Grants Pass Public Safety Services into a larger building.
Wednesday night, the city council unanimously approved the purchase agreement.
The former Department of Human Services building which is just a block away from city hall is set to be the new facility for the 911 dispatch center, and public safety services.
They are currently housed in the basement of the Josephine County Justice Building which Chief Bill Landis says is too small and lacks seismic stability.
According to Assistant City Manager David Reeves, the city has been looking for a place to safely house them since 2015.
“It’s important to have them to serve in times of emergency, and right now our confidence is not high that we can do that. We want to be able to securely and with great confidence be able to provide services that our citizens need,” Reeves said.
Reeves says the new location fits the requirements which had to be met.
That includes plenty of parking and good access to 6th and 7th streets to quickly respond in both major directions.
Remodeling and the big move will be paid for with money that has been saved throughout the years in the general fund and Reeves says they hope to receive grants.
The city will have a 120-day period to figure out final details before moving or remodeling starts.
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