The city of Rosemount is winding down 2024 with some big accomplishments including the hiring of the city’s first full-time fire chief and opening a new police and public works department building that was six years in the making.
The new 20-acre police and public works campus, which cost $58.2 million, is operational and open to the public as of Wednesday at 14041 Biscayne Ave., according to a city news release.
“This new campus is more than just a building; it’s a cornerstone for our city’s future,” Mayor Jeff Weisensel said in the release. “It provides the resources and space necessary for our departments to serve residents efficiently and effectively, while also preparing us for continued growth and innovation.”
The 160,000-square-foot facility includes an Emergency Operations Center, firearms practice range, community engagement space and employee wellness and training areas for the roughly 60 full-time staff members between the two departments.
The campus also includes a storm water run-off collection system, in keeping with the city’s sustainability efforts.
Formerly owned by the Minnesota National Guard, the land was given to the city by Flint Hills Resources, which has a refinery in Rosemount, and a subsequent land swap with the Minnesota National Guard, saving the city roughly $2 million, per the release.
Growing pains
The city began considering the development of a new campus in 2018, following a 2017 report from the Facilities Task Force that found the police and public works facilities had “reached their functional capacity” and did not “properly accommodate public interaction or allow efficiencies conducive to a welcoming, productive environment,” according to city documents.
Prior to the new campus, the Public Works Department was leasing storage facilities and operating from multiple locations throughout the city due to limited space.
The police department lacked facilities for officer support “including designated areas for physical fitness, mental health support and decompression to manage stress following emergency incidents,” per the release.
The opening of the new facility fulfills the recommendation laid out by the task force in 2017: to develop a joint public works and police facility.
“This campus is a testament to the value we place on providing modern, collaborative and health-focused solutions for our teams,” said Logan Martin, Rosemount city administrator, in the release. “It’s about creating a space for the needs of today’s public servants, while also delivering essential services with greater care for the community as we grow into the future.”
The community will be invited next spring to tour the new campus and learn about its facilities.
First full-time fire chief
Kip Springer is sworn in as Rosemount’s first full-time Fire Chief Dec. 3, 2024. (Courtesy of the City of Rosemount)
Kip Springer was sworn in last week as the first full-time fire chief for the city of Rosemount.
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Springer, a local resident with more than 30 years of experience with the Eden Prairie, Plymouth and Eagan fire departments, will lead about 50 paid-on-call firefighters, according to a city news release.
The city, which has two fire stations, previously operated on a paid-per-call model. In recent years, as annual call volumes began to reach 1,000, the demand exceeded the ability of the volunteer system and as a result, the city’s residents voted in support of investing in a full-time fire service model.
“The Rosemount Fire Department has a tremendous amount of community support,” Springer said in the release. “I will focus on ensuring we make sound decisions that are based on data analysis, best practices, firefighter safety and public input. I am committed to balancing community expectations, firefighter commitment, and fiscal responsibility.”
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