Proposed Police Station Gains Support, Criticism

Approximately 25 residents attended the special town meeting on the proposed new police station, including police, elected town officials, employees and volunteers.  

Mayor John Rodolico conducted a presentation outlining the proposed building project. Some of the highlights are:

• The Town would be paying nearly $480,000 for 20 years and residents’ mil rate would go up less than half a percent (.4 percent) to cover that cost. The police station is estimated to be finished in late 2014, according to Rodolico who said the Town’s debt will peak in 2016 as the Town pays down ongoing obligations and starts paying back the police station.   
  
• Among other things, the lower area is designed to have two sally ports and three prison cells. “We will eventually have an independent police force,” said Rodolico. “It would be smart to incorporate those now.”  
  
• Rodolico said the current police station “requires very high maintenance,” which has been put off as town officials have been considering building a new facility. The ballpark estimate for immediate repairs is $250,000. 
  
• There were three sites under consideration and the cost estimates were: Former Gales Ferry School $5962,000; the site near the transfer station $6,282,971; next to Town Hall where former firehouse was $6,461,946. Ultimately, the Municipal Building Committee recommended to build next to the Town Hall.
  
• Rodolico said there’s a real issue with curb cuts next to Town Hall and they  will be reduced to two defined curb cuts. 
  
• There will be more green space in the parking lot and the building will meet the Ledyard design district requirements. “It completely re-does the campus,” he said. 
  
• The former firehouse and ambulance building will be demolished. The new building may double as an EOC, when needed. 

Residents had some comments and questions.

Deb Sewell asked if $546 per square foot was too high to pay and Bob Lamb said the Town shouldn’t propose the project before the they own all the land needed.

Former mayor Fred Allyn, Jr. had a series of objections saying that the town is "rushing to judgement" and that the matters of cost, timing, an independent police force, dispatch and the acquiring the necessary land should be settled first. 

Eric Treaster asked if there is grant money available. Rodolico said that grant money is unlikely. Although there may be money available if the town opts to incorporate some energy efficient features.  

Treaster also asked if there any other capital expenditures in the next 5-8 years. We found out that the Town is conducting a wastewater treatment facility study right now. 

“I’m sure there will be some maintenance items that fall out of that, not at this magnitude though,” said Mike Cherry, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission.  

Cherry later added that the site wasn’t his first pick but “it’s an ideal spot and the square footage is enough for what we need.” Cherry he said he preferred an “adaptive reuse of property we already own.”  

Jeff Beacham, chair of the Economic Development Commission agreed and added that the Town Center committee has been hoping to use the former firehouse as the next municipal building project since 2006.

“The best use of that property is to use it for something for town and the police station’s the perfect thing.”  

Residents can contact Town Councilors with any questions or concerns; their contact information is here. Residents will be asked to vote on the project during the May 21 referendum.