Cookeville Adding IT Space At New Police HQ

Cookeville City Council approved a change to the Police Headquarters construction project Thursday night, creating more space for the IT and Telecommunications Division.

Police Chief Randy Evans said the third-level of the station will include some 1,386 square feet of space for the new division. The third floor project would provide space for three offices, the IT server and additional room to grow.

“This is another step that we’re trying to take to improve our security of our systems,” City Manager James Mills said. “This is especially important for our servers. This gives a dedicated room, a larger room than was originally looked at within the new headquarters.”

Evans said the completion of the third floor will push back the delivery date for the building three weeks. Evans said with architectural fees and construction, the project should not exceed $200,000.

“The construction cost, their estimate right now is at $121,684.89, that may be reduced some,” Evans said. “We’ve got to go back and make sure moving the fire suppression and some of the HVAC and some of that stuff. How that impacts the cost and is there a savings for not doing that on the main floor. I really believe we can do it for under $150,000.”

Mills asked City Council to create the new division last month to create a better infrastructure for technology in the city.