Forest Grove Police Captain Troy Maslen gives a tour of the tight — and outdated — locker rooms at the Forest Grove police station. (Jaime Valdez/Forest Grove News-Times)

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the 4 p.m. May 23 election results. 

Hopes for a modern, long-awaited police facility in Forest Grove could be slipping as Measure 34-343 edges toward defeat in a tight race. 

As of the latest tally posted at 4 p.m. Friday, May 23, about 52.3% of voters are rejecting the $29.5 million bond, with just 47.8% backing it. 

The measure would finance a new police station at the corner of 19th Avenue and Birch Street on city-owned land. For the average Forest Grove household, the bond amount translates to roughly $263 annually — or about $22 a month — spread over 20 years.

Police Chief Henry Reimann told the News-Times he wants to “remain optimistic” as ballots keep rolling in. 

“I’m hoping that we can make up that margin with a ‘yes’ vote,” Reimann said. “My fingers are crossing.”

“We outgrew this building years ago, and I think financially it’s the right thing,” he said about why a new facility is needed. “I mean, for the community members, how much money can you pour into this building and it still won’t accommodate any further growth?”

According to the Washington County Elections Division, final results will be certified by June 16. So far, ballot returns show a turnout of approximately 21.9%, though not all ballots have been tabulated. Oregon law allows ballots postmarked on Election Day to be counted if received within the following week.

Reimann said city officials haven’t yet discussed next steps if the bond ultimately fails.

“There’s some major upgrades we need to do to this building,” Reimann said. “It needs a completely new roof; we need to look at the whole HVAC heating system.”

But such repairs won’t solve the department’s space crunch. The current station — located at 2102 Pacific Ave. — has changed little since it opened in 1977, despite the police force doubling in size.

“The design of the building makes it less conducive to any remodeling,” Reimann explained. “It’s kind of a triangular form. We have support beams that run halfway down a hallway, then another set of beams that are perpendicular.”

“I’m sure when they designed this building, it was state of the art,” he added. “Here we are, almost 50 years later.”

Reimann acknowledged voters’ apprehension over rising costs but warned that delaying the project could only see prices driven higher. He pointed to early estimates from five years ago, when the cost projection was about $19 million.

“It jumped $10 million because of inflation and other factors,” he said. “And what happens in three or four years in regard to the cost of the building? It’s not going to go down. How much will taxpayers pay for a building in the future?”

If approved, the new station would be 45% larger than the current 12,120-square-foot space, with expanded work areas for officers and staff. Plans call for better Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility, secure evidence and records storage, private rooms for victim interviews, and legally required separation between adult and juvenile offenders.