The Bartlesville City Council voted Monday to approve a contract for the construction of a police and fire memorial at the Bartlesville Public Safety Complex, located in the 600 block of Johnstone Ave.
The memorial consists of constructing a small concrete plaza with landscaping, flag poles and a granite monument in the space between the new police building and the renovated Central Fire Station. Funding for the project, $50,000, was included in the 2018-19 Capital Improvement Projects budget following the completion of the public safety complex, approved by voters in the 2012 General Obligation Bond Election.
City Manager Mike Bailey said discussion about the memorial has been underway for some time — with an eye toward having construction complete in time for the May 15 Peace Officers Day ceremony.
“Even though there was a lot of time involved in the planning, we realized we had a deadline we wanted to meet,” Bailey told the council Monday. “We wanted to have the new memorial built before Peace Officers Day, so we looked at that, backed it up and began planning accordingly. What you see here is the result of not only city management staff, but the final design and ideas were turned over to the police officers and fire fighters. They did a great job. I think it’s a design everyone can be very proud of. It’s a very simple yet elegant design.”
A granite monument was ordered through a separate vendor for just under $15,000 and should be ready to install by mid-April. The contract with J. Graham Construction of Coffeyville, Kan., was approved Monday for $36,797. Remaining funds needed will come from unallocated Capital Improvement Projects funds.
Bailey said the existing memorial, housed at the former police station location at 100 E. Hensley Blvd., will be preserved, though its final destination has not yet been determined.
“We’ll certainly find an appropriate location for the existing memorial,” he said.