06/09/2026
You Have Questions? We Have Answers: Public Facilities FAQs
Q: Why is the cost for new public facilities estimated to be $32.9 million – that seems high?
A: The proposal is for construction of a new Police Department/City Hall AND a new Public Works Campus. This proposed project would include relocating Public Works from its current facility at 105 E Le Claire Rd to the site purchased by the City in 2024 on South 1st Street followed by the construction of a new Police Department/City Hall on the former Public Works site. For the $32.9 million price tag the city will have brand new facilities with room for future expansion if needed. For perspective, Bettendorf recently went to referendum for a $27 million bond for a new police station. Eldridge is proposing a project that would construct new Police Department/City Hall & Public Works Campus for $32.9 million.
Q. Why is a referendum needed for this project?
A. Cities have very limited ability to levy taxes beyond what is necessary to fund a single year’s obligations. A referendum is a tool provided by Iowa law, that directs a municipality to seek voter approval to obtain the debt needed to finance a high cost projects such as construction of new facilities. To pay for new public facilities, 60% of Eldridge voters would need to approve a bond referendum, which would allow the city to take out a loan (issue) debt.
Q. If the city moves forward with the referendum, what ballot would it be on?
A. If the community supports the project and the city votes to proceed, the bond referendum would be on the ballot in November 2026. One very unique aspect about the proposed project is that the bond referendum would include two (2) questions on the ballot that would both need to pass in order for the city to move forward with constructing the new facilities. The reason for this is that there are 2 separate sites/locations involved in this project – the new Public Works Campus on South 1st Street at an estimated cost of $20.7 million and the new Police Department/City Hall at an estimated cost of $12.2 million. In order for this project to proceed as proposed, both bond referendums would have to be approved by at least 60% of Eldridge voters.
Q. When was the last time the city proposed new facilities or renovated current facilities?
A. The city held a referendum in 2014 asking to bond $2.9 million for a new city hall and police station, which had a total project cost estimate of $5.7 million. The referendum failed. The proposed city hall and police station in 2014 was a 16,900 square foot facility which is larger than the facility that is being proposed today.
The Police Department completed some minor renovations in 2024/25 to the basement of the current facility to maximize the utilization of available space, which still falls significantly short of the space needed to carry out safe, secure, and efficient operations. City Hall is using all available space to carry out operations to the extent that there is an “office space” that has been created in the hallway for administrative staff because there is no other space available.
Q. Why wasn’t the site plan for the proposed Public Works Campus included on the Community Input Survey?
A. At the time the Community Input Survey was drafted, the site plan for the proposed Public Works Campus was not yet finalized. The survey contained the information that was available at the time, such as location and estimated project cost for the proposed facility. Once the proposed site plan was finalized it was posted on the City’s page and also on the project webpage on the City’s website https://cityofeldridgeia.org/public-facilities-survey-and-information/. As the City staff continues to work on this project and its associated documents/materials, updates and information will be shared through social media and our website as it becomes available.
Q. Why did the city choose the proposed sites for the new facilities?
A. In 2023 the City Engineer completed site feasibility studies for 5 potential locations that were identified as potential sites for a future Public Works facility. The South 1st Street property was the most ideal site that was available based on the results of the feasibility studies. The City purchased the South 1st Street property in December 2024 with the funds received from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to invest in the future growth and stability of our community.
For the Police Department/City Hall facility the city identified the current Public Works site as an ideal location based on its proximity to the North Scott High School, the North Scott YMCA, and its general central location in the community. The City already owns the property and will have to maintain ownership of the southern parcel of that property as it is the site of one of the city’s water towers. The city could then sell the northern parcel on that property which would be prime real estate for a commercial site. The city could also sell its current facility located at 305 N 3rd Street and could use the proceeds from those property sales to buy down the debt issued to construct the new facilities which would lower the property tax levy for residents.
Q. Did the City consider repurposing the Community Center & Skatepark property to be used for a new Police Department/City Hall?
A. Yes, the city’s engineering team evaluated the ECC & Skatepark to assess its suitability as a site for a new Police Department/City Hall facility. The site itself is located out-of-the-way and distant from schools. The response times for the Police Department would be delayed for the schools and most of town if the highway underpass were to be blocked. The building is a pre-engineered metal (PEMB) structure. These types of buildings are notoriously hard or even impossible to adapt and are typically value-engineered to meet the minimum standards of being structurally sufficient for their original intended use. There could not be any new rooftop mounted, and new door/window openings would be challenging. As a PEMB structure it is likely unable to sustain/resist high wind loads which would make this suboptimal for a community facility that would likely be the point of command in the event of a weather (or other) emergency. The building in its current state does not meet the code requirements for a Police Department/Public Safety facility and would need extensive reconstruction. The ultimate recommendation would be razing the building and starting from scratch if relocating public facilities to this site.
Q. What is the total square footage of the current facilities compared to the proposed facilities?
A. The current Police Department/City Hall facility is approximately 5,600 SF (3,500 SF above-grade space & approximately 2,100 SF basement). The property site of the current Police Department/City Hall is approximately 9,400 SF.
The proposed Police Department/City Hall facility is 16,600 SF. The property site for the proposed Police Department/City Hall is 151,823 SF/3.485 acres. This would be excluding the front commercial parcel which is proposed to be sold once the Public Works operations are relocated to South 1st Street.
The current Public Works Campus includes 11 buildings with a combined total of 58,850 SF (some of which are 3-sided open sheds, not fully enclosed) and currently sits on a site that is 196,020 SF/4.5 total acres.
The proposed Public Works Campus includes 7 buildings with a combined total of 79,405 SF on the newly purchased South 1st Street site which is 887,252 SF/20.37 acres.
Q. Why does the city need new public facilities?
A. Police Station/City Hall - This facility was purchased in 1987 as a temporary building to be used for 10 years. Since then, the number of City and police staff has increased as our population has grown. The facility is significantly smaller than neighboring municipalities with similar populations.
The building is not big enough for police and City staff:
• The police areas of the building do not have adequate security features.
• The building lacks proper areas for police interviews and suspect holding.
• There is not enough secure storage for evidence.
• Staff occasionally have to work in hallways because of a lack of office space.
• Members of the public have had to sit on the floor when attending Council meetings.
• The building does not support current technology needs.
• The only meeting room for City staff is within a staff member’s office.
Public Works - This facility was built in 1980 (the City purchased it in 1996). It is deteriorating and too small:
• Because of a lack of storage space, the City must spend $25,000 each year to store equipment in an off-site warehouse.
• The City still must store some expensive equipment (such as vehicles) outdoors, making it wear down more quickly.
• Outbuildings for storage are rotting/decaying, putting equipment at risk.
• There is one office that all department heads must share.
Q. How will this project impact my property taxes?
A. For the proposed project’s estimated cost of $32.9 million, a bond using an average 5% interest rate and assuming a 22-year repayment term would have an accumulative tax impact of $1.9012 per $1,000 of taxable property valuation. To calculate the tax impact to a homeowner, you would need to know the assessed value of your property, the State of Iowa rollback percentage for the applicable year, and the tax impact. For example, this year the State of Iowa rollback percentage is 44.5%. The tax impact calculation is: Assessed Property Value x Rollback Percentage = Taxable Property Valuation. Your Taxable Property Valuation/1,000 x $1.9012 (tax impact) = total annual impact to your property taxes. Here is an example of the impact to residences at assessed values of $150,000, $250,000, and $350,500 (the approx. average home value in Eldridge).
How much would the referendum cost me?
Below is the estimated annual tax increase based on amount of assessed property value:
$150,000 - $125; $250,000 - $210; $350,500 - $295
