GEORGETOWN, Del. - After months of debate, Georgetown locals narrowly approved a referendum allowing the town to borrow up to $18 million to fund a new police station and public works building on University Drive.
The measure passed by just 13 votes, 183 in favor and 170 against, after a community-wide vote on Monday night.
“There needs to be updates to the facilities that you work in,” local Tammy Hardy-Kesler said. “If we’re going to be able to fight crime in our communities, you need the appropriate type of facility for that.”
Not all residents were convinced, with some voicing concerns about the process, “I think some research needs to be done on other locations,” said Janice Jones, another local voter.
For Georgetown Police Chief Ralph Holm Jr., the approval marks a significant milestone.
“By the time I leave to turn it over to the next generation of Georgetown police officers, we’ll have this brand-new building,” Holm Jr. said.
Supporters say the new facilities will strengthen the department and help attract more officers, a sentiment echoed by many who gathered at town hall to hear the results.