The Starkville Police Department will have to wait to move in to their new headquarters on East Lampkin Street, after announcing the June 30 opening date would be postponed.
Vice Mayor and Ward 6 Alderman Roy A'. Perkins told the SDN he made a request to have the dedication ceremony postponed after receiving a credible report that there had been some flooding in the basement of the building. Perkins said in his opinion there should not be any dedication ceremony until the project is fully completed.
“We have to, as a governing body, make every effort to handle and treat the taxpayer's funds very carefully,” Perkins said. “It's a $5.4 million facility, there's no need to rush this project.”
Perkins then said this is an issue that affects the taxpayers of Starkville because they are the ones paying for this building.
“Our police chief, our officers, our governing body, all of the citizens and taxpayers deserve a complete building free of any deficiency and problems at the time we dedicate the building,” Perkins said.
Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard told the SDN he agrees the postponement was the right decision.
“I think they just need to postpone at this point to make sure it's all complete before we do the dedication,” Maynard said.
Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker told the SDN he was looking forward to the ceremony Friday, but he wants to make sure the building is fully completed before an opening is held.
“It is my opinion and belief that we certainly want to make sure that the building is right and completely ready to go before the opening,” Walker said. “I'm looking forward to the job being completed in a correct fashion and that the police can move in very soon.”
Weathers Construction Inc. - the contractor on the project - was contacted, but a request for comment was not returned by press deadline Wednesday.
SPD Public Information Officer Brandon Lovelady declined to comment on the ceremony's postponement.
A new ceremony date has not been announced.