Next steps for the new police station
The town aims to hold biweekly meetings to keep momentum going on the police station, now that Town Meeting members have given the go-ahead to start constructing at the proposed Tucker Road location.
Acting Chief Brian Levesque said that the town has decided to form what he called a "working group" to finalize construction details like building materials and layout.
Levesque hopes to hold biweekly meetings with the group as of next month, he said. The working group will consist of Architect Greg Carell, Project Manager Richard Pomroy, Town Administrator David Cressman, Facilities Director Rick Ferreira, and Levesque.
"We're focused on keeping the cost down, as well as keeping the building as low-maintenance as we can," he said via phone following the June 8 Police Chief's Advisory Group meeting. The advisory group was formed to provide community feedback on design and location.
"We have to shrink the building a little bit to get it within budget," he said, providing an example of to-do's for the group.
Levesque said he hopes to finalize details by year's end, so that contractors can start bidding on the project. He expects a groundbreaking by next spring, and a 14-month construction phase that would conclude by spring 2019.
Levesque said the group will report to a building committee — which must be appointed by the Select Board — during monthly meetings. The advisory committee will also be kept in the loop, he said.
The advisory committee also agreed on a 3.75 percent compensation rate for Pomroy during the June 8 meeting, which has already been included into the project's $13.4 million estimate. Levesque said the group still needs to approve a compensation rate for Carell.
Voters approved a temporary tax increase during the April elections to fund the project. The 21,800 square-foot proposal includes a meeting room that will be accessible to the public; a sally port, which would allow for safe and secure prisoner transport; 3,900 square feet of unused space for future expansion; and work spaces that can be reconfigured for more personnel.