By Amira Van Leeuwen
KYLE — On Oct. 17, the Kyle City Council approved additional signage to recognize the police department at the Public Safety Center.
Council member Daniela Parsley motioned to direct city staff to have signage that says, “Public Safety Center” and additional signage that says, “Kyle Police Department.” Seconded by Yvonne Flores-Cale, the motion passed 5-1 with Mayor Travis Mitchell dissenting.
Flores-Cale, who introduced the item, said she liked to see a reference to the Kyle Police Department in some capacity on the public safety center.
Mayor Pro Tem Robert Rizo said he would love to see the police department somewhere on the building while also keeping the public safety center name, as it would eventually be the new home of Kyle PD.
Council member Michael Tobias agreed that the city could recognize the department through signage, but he wants to see the building complete before making more physical changes.
Flores-Cale and Mitchell went back and forth.
“I’m not trying to take off the public safety center. I’m trying to add it because, in true fashion, it is a police department and a public safety center,” Flores-Cale said. “It’s being more definitive instead of too generalized, which I think can confuse people who may be in need of safety.”
Mitchell insisted that Flores-Cale’s motion should be to rename the building.
“It should be to rename it because that’s essentially what I know you want to do,” Mitchell replied. “If you’re trying to take the literal masthead on the building and say instead of it being the ‘Kyle Public Safety Center’ for it to read the ‘Kyle Police Department and Public Safety.’”
“No,” Flores-Cale replied. “My idea would be the city of Kyle and then police department and public safety center because that is ultimately what it is. If I wanted to rename it completely, I would just say, ‘I’d like to make a motion to name it a police department.’”
Bradshaw said she would like to talk to Chief Barnett and listen to his opinion. But Flores-Cale disagreed. "I think putting Chief in that spot would make it really uncomfortable for him, and I’ve been told time and time again the same thing when I called Captain Hernandez up here. I want this to be a decision based off of council and our thoughts on how we should move forward on this building,” Flores-Cale said. Mitchell agreed.
