MILTON, Del. - The Milton Town Council voted Monday night to move forward with purchasing six downtown parcels for $1.65 million.
According to a presentation during the meeting, the town plans to build a two-story facility between 25,000 and 26,000 square feet on Magnolia and Mulberry streets. It will house a new police station, meeting rooms for Town Council meetings, public hearings, and other town functions.
Mayor John Collier said the new building is something Milton has needed for a long time.
"The town has no dedicated meeting facilities, and we struggle to find places to hold our meetings, and it's just too much going on in this town to have to go through that. So, we have to make choices, and this is a choice we've made," Collier said.
Current plans show there will be a garage for police use and 60 parking spaces off Magnolia Street.
Neisha Wilmer, a lifelong Milton resident, said she has seen the town’s growth.
"We need somewhere to park. We have so much activities down in Milton and there's no parking, and this, I think will be a great thing for Milton," Wilmer said.
While the total cost of the project has not yet been determined, Collier assured residents there will not be a tax increase to fund it.
"The town sets aside money annually. There are potential grant windows that we can pursue. Worst-case scenario would be going to referendum to borrow money, but that remains to be seen," Collier said.
Collier also described the purchase as a "very unique opportunity for the town." Settlement is scheduled for May 9. At this stage, only conceptual site plans have been developed.
The mayor said there is room in the conceptual plans for a basketball court and a public restroom facility. Final plans are expected to take between one and two years to complete.
After redrawing the property lines, Collier said the town plans to put two historic homes on Broad Street back on the market, as the town has no use for them.