Council Makes Fair Haven Police, Public Works Buildings A Priority

FAIR HAVEN, NJ — The Borough Council is working on two fronts to bring the Police Department and Public Works buildings up to snuff.

That may involve renovation or rebuilds, but that decision is still pending more study, said Mayor Josh Halpern.

The council met in a special session Monday to review professional reports on the conditions of both buildings.

The presentations outlined the problems:

The police department at 35 Fisk St. has mold and other issues that have resulted in unsafe and insecure facilities, the study noted.

There are other deficiencies noted in the report, too, that require action, among others:

• Installing a female locker room
• Adhering to ADA Compliance Building Structure protocols
• Items that are outdated and not up to the Department of Justice guidelines include the HVAC, camera system, interview room, weapons and equipment storage, dispatch room and more concerns.

At the public works building at 1 Allen St., the roof is deteriorating and is past its 20-year expected life. There are structural concerns with the footings of the building and there is not proper egress for four employees upstairs. There are a total of 10 DPW employees. There many other issues cited in the study to be discussed.

Regarding the DPW building, Halpern said the borough decided Monday to request three quotes from structural engineers to determine if the footings of the building are sound enough to renovate the structure. The structural engineer should be chosen shortly and then make a report to the council with two to three weeks of that, Halpern said.

Then the council can determine what the best move is - both in terms of employee safety, which Halpern said is paramount, and in terms of cost.

The Police Department, located in an old school building on Fisk Street, is "likely" to be new construction, Halpern said.

The town is asking the architect who already has drawn up plans for a building to amend the plans to scale down the size and save money on the project, Halpern said.

He said the council made a lot of progress at the informational session on Monday to help it make a decision. He said the problems have been lingering at the buildings for several years now and the conditions have to be addressed.

New councilmembers Andrew LaBarbera and Kristen Hoey have been tasked with being the co-chairs overseeing the project for the council. Halpern said the project may go through this calendar year and into next, and they are just at the start of their three-year terms and can see the project through.

The cost for the Police Department project is not set because the plans are changing, Halpern said.

There are cost estimates for the DPW building: $2.8-$3 million for renovation and $4.1-$4.4 for a rebuild. The department itself might be able to make certain repairs to save on costs, such as some demolition and "soft costs."

When the council meets on Jan. 23, it will, among other things, continue to consider any new information on the projects.

Residents can access the links below to view the Power Point slides on both buildings:

• Police Department Facility Presentation
• Department of Public Works Facility Presentation

The special meeting Jan. 9 is also online and so you can hear the entire discussion.