SOMERVILLE, Texas (KBTX) – The City of Somerville moved into its new city hall Monday. The new location is the previous Burleson St. Joseph Somerville Clinic at the corner of 6th street and Memory Lane in the heart of Downtown Somerville.

The city hall is not the only improvement coming to the area, plans are underway for a new police station. Plans for the new facility are currently in their beginning stages. The site for the new proposed police station is just one block over on 9th street just in the shadows of its current location.

The new city hall location and proposed police station are just one way the city is preparing for current and future growth. According to census data, the city of Somerville has grown by nearly 7% in the last decade. The city currently has several infrastructure projects underway that will surely draw in more visitors, businesses and residents.

As part of a 2020 bond package, the city is making improvements to sewer and water lines in the area. The city is also making improvements to the water tower that hovers over the city as you enter the city limits from nearby Lyons and Caldwell.

Susan Mott, Burleson County Chamber of Commerce Director, says the growth the city is seeing is visible and that infrastructure projects that are currently happening in Somerville help draw in more visitors and businesses.

“Just over the last few months, the chamber has noticed different businesses coming to the area,” said Mott. “New streets, new schools, new businesses that’s all great for the City of Somerville.”

Somerville Police Chief, Jake Sullivan, says a new building is just one step in the department’s mission to obtain recognized status from the Texas Police Chiefs Association.

“That is based upon best practices, hiring processes, our building infrastructure, and meeting certain accreditation type requirements,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan says plans for the new facility also include a space to increase community engagement.

“The establishment of a new facility will enable us to do a citizens academy, some other community programs that we currently struggle to have to ask for locations to allow us to use their space,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan says the support from the city and community has been great.

“We have great people here who want to see our city become better,” said Sullivan. “We want our citizens and those who visit our lake and visit our city to feel safe and part of that is how we interact and how we grow in our community.”

City council is set to meet Tuesday to discuss the next steps as it relates to the future of the proposed police station.

For more information on the proposed police station click here.

Written by Donnie Tuggle