Members of the Minot City Council plan to look for less expensive options for addressing space needs of the Minot Police Department after reviewing again an architectural consultant’s findings that a project could cost up to $70 million.

Those members attending a special meeting Thursday also indicated little interest in a half percent public safety sales tax to pay for renovation or construction.

The council directed staff to work with the architects at EAPC on renovations of the legacy city hall that could be accomplished at different price points and bring back options. EAPC outlined a report previously released showing $40 million to $50 million for renovation of the building that houses the police department or $60 million to $70 million for new construction. Municipal court would be included in the project.

Council member Paul Pitner, who previously proposed a public safety sales tax, said the information obtained about renovation alternatives will determine whether the city needs the tax or can find the money elsewhere. He said now that Minot Park District has asked for a half percent sales tax, it raises the question of whether voters would approve 1 percent in total.

“I ran saying I would not raise taxes,” council member Rob Fuller said. “My goal to come onto this city council was to help alleviate some of the financial spending I thought was going on within the city and help drive down property tax and tax as a whole. I understand we need to do something with the Minot PD. I totally get that, but I would rather see us use the NAWS money in two to four years.”

The city currently levies sales tax dollars for the Northwest Area Water Supply Project (NAWS), but those dollars would be available for another use once the project is paid off.

“While I’m fine with giving the park district their ability to put it on the ballot and see if the citizens want it, I won’t even entertain putting a half cent sales tax on the ballot for public safety,” Fuller said.

Council member Mike Blessum said he supports using sales tax, to a degree, to hold down property taxes, but there is nothing that guarantees that levying sales tax will cap the property tax.

“There’s no guarantee that relief actually happens on the property tax side, and so I’m a little bit worried about that,” he said. “I get nervous about burdening the people with that.”

Council member Scott Samuelson said he ran for council with the idea that a half percent city sales tax for public safety was a good idea. But, he added, he believes that half percent can come from adjusting distribution of the existing sales taxes.

“In Minot, we’re tapped out,” he said of taxpayers. “We have no more to give.”

The council is set to act on a resolution Monday to place the park district’s ordinance for a half percent sales tax on the ballot. The district has asked for an April 29 election. No action was taken at Thursday’s meeting to advance a public safety sales tax proposal to the council.