Transit center on Turlock agenda

TURLOCK -- The City Council will discuss some $1.75 million in purchases to help complete the new Public Safety Facility and Regional Transit Center at its meeting tonight.

The council will vote on the purchase of two parcels needed to complete the city's transit center at Hawkeye Avenue and Golden State Boulevard for $1.54 million. The two pieces of land are needed to begin construction on the second phase of the facility, which opened to the public in August.

The vacant and undeveloped land sits in front of the existing Turlock Regional Transit Center between Hawkeye and Dels Lane. Money for the purchase come out of Local Transportation Fund and Proposition 1B, and was calculated into the $2.2 million budgeted for transit hub property this year.

If approved, the area would be used to expand services to create loading platforms for up to 12 buses. In the future, the space could be used for private taxis, over-the-road carriers and even passenger rail service.

The properties are owned by Tiare Development, LLC, out of Santa Barbara.

Council members also will vote on whether to approve $260,000 for new office furniture for the Turlock Public Safety Facility. The city wants to contract to buy the furniture and other accessories from Warden's of Modesto.

The new facility will house the city's Police and Fire departments and increase their combined space from 27,000 square feet to 57,000 square feet. The city has set aside some $412,500 to furnish the new center.

Existing furniture is being reused for some offices, and other items are being bought at a 60 percent discount from Haworth Modular Office furnishings through a U.S. Community Purchasing Program.

The new furniture that would be purchased through Warden's would include 14 executive office suites, 20 manager offices and other conference, meeting and waiting rooms. The expenses include $11,215 for desks in the fire chief's office and $9,264 for desks in the police chief's office.

The council also will vote on whether to move the start of its twice-monthly meetings times from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Turlock City Council will meet at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 156 S. Broadway.

Bee staff writer Marijke Rowland can be reached at mrowland@modbee.com or (209) 578-2284. Follow her on Twitter @turlocknow.