Georgetown’s mayor and city council voted Monday to move forward with plans for a new police department and public works department.

At a public hearing on the new station and the new facility on August 26, the planned $18 million needed to build the facilities will be discussed.

According to initial plans, the new police station will be just under 1,115 square meters in size, almost twice the size of the current station.

According to Police Chief Ralph Holm, the current station is an old building with cracks in the brick and water seeps in when it rains.

“The amount that has already been invested in this current building far exceeds its value,” said Holm.

He added that it was simply too small – they had put a small closet in a bathroom to serve as a changing room for the women.

“We’ve dismantled this building in so many different ways in the 25 years I’ve been here, and it just doesn’t work,” Holm said.

According to Holm, the cost of the new police station is roughly estimated at $8 million to $12 million, and the cost of the new public facility at $4 million to $6 million.

The city has approved hiring 25 sworn officers this year, but Holm says that number has not yet been reached.

“I am currently eight people short of the number of sworn employees I was authorized to have, and that is a big deal,” Holm said.

Holm assumes that a new channel would help to retain customers.