WESTON, Wis.—The Weston Village Board has taken another step toward developing a new headquarters for the Mountain Bay Metro Police Department, approving the site plan for a facility that could cost up to $7 million. The decision advances a project that has been under discussion since the merger of the Rothschild Police Department and Everest Metro Police Department, but it also arrives amid growing public scrutiny over municipal spending.
The proposed police center would be located at 3600 Community Center Drive, on land already owned by the village. While the $7 million price tag is not final, it remains the target budget set by the Mountain Bay Metro Police Board. The true cost will not be known until the project is formally bid out, a step that will follow completion of final design work.
Under the current cost‑sharing agreement, Weston would cover 65% of the project, with Rothschild responsible for the remaining 35%. Both municipalities have already signaled willingness to borrow for their respective shares, though final borrowing resolutions will require additional board votes.
Despite the project’s progress, concerns are mounting. Trustee Katrina Clark noted Monday that opposition is already circulating on social media, echoing the backlash Weston faced during construction of its new municipal center. Clark urged the village to proactively communicate with residents, both to provide accurate information and to gather feedback before the project advances further.
Trustee Barb Ermeling cast the lone vote against the site plan, citing earlier assurances that the existing police building would be adequate following the merger. Board President Mark Maloney acknowledged that he, too, believed at the time that a new facility would not be necessary. But he now argues that the merged department has outgrown the old Rothschild building and that expanding it would have cost “millions” on its own.
Staff members told the board they have already reduced the project’s size and plan to reuse portions of the existing structure to help control costs.
Design and pre‑construction work is already underway, with The Boldt Company and HTG participating in planning discussions. Final design documents and bid results are expected later this year, after which the board will face another vote on whether to proceed with borrowing.
As the project moves forward, village leaders appear braced for continued debate. With costs still uncertain and public sentiment divided, the next several months will likely determine whether the new police center becomes a reality or returns to the drawing board.
