Police Department Renovations
From the Chief’s Desk.....
The Templeton Police Department with support of the Board of
Selectmen are proposing a debit exclusion article for the November 9th,
Town Meeting for an addition and renovation to the current Templeton Police
Station. The current police station is an existing 2,400 square foot, two-story
structure located at 33 South Road in Templeton. The scope of this project
includes renovation and alteration of the existing spaces, including altered
vestibule and dispatch area, upgrades to the mechanical systems, new roof, and
new interior finishes.
The addition would include
a 4,000 square foot expansion of the current police station to the west, which
will include an additional cell, an interview room, a dry evidence room, a
training area, a sergeants’ office, shower and locker facilities, a break room,
an interior staircase, and exterior covered parking for two police vehicles.
The project has an estimated cost of $1,000,000.00 dollars and would be funded
by a two year debit exclusion which would increase the tax rate at
approximately $.94 cents per year.
Residents are encouraged
to attend one of the three scheduled Open House nights to view the condition of
the current station for themselves before the November 9th Town
meeting.
Sincerely,
Michael R. Bennett
Chief of Police
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteNo playground, and no place for people to park when parents want to attend school functions. As I have said before, "nice plan, wrong place." As for the Police Department, this is so good, and it is about time. It is about time for the people in this town to support the men and women we call when we need help. The only thing I would change is the placement of the cells. I understand why they are, where they are, due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, but don't you think they should be closer to the back door. A person out of control can do a lot of damage on the way to lock up, as things are on the plan. Other wise, who knew a cracker box could look so good. Bev.
DeleteOK, Why does a 6000 sqft station need 5 bathrooms, 2 showers and two locker rooms? Why does our police station need 5 offices?
ReplyDeleteThe cells that are being added increase the need for personnel.We are going to be required to have an officer in the building at all times.
This plan also seems to be in direct conflict with the school plan. How many times are we going to use the same space. This plan seems to take away about half the parking the school was planning on using.
personally feel that we should prepare for less policing. In 2016 marijuana is going to be legal in MA. Across the country people are screaming for the laws regarding non violent crimes be deemed none issues that will not require incarceration.
The 5 bathrooms on top of the cell bathrooms seems a bit excessive for a station that never has more than a couple people in it.
This plan seems like another plan that will bring templeton one step further down the overtaxed, over government over-sized budget towns in MA.
If the idea is to run people out of town based on taxing then hurry, the town is succeeding. I do like how we can build the police station for $250 a sqft but the elementary school is $500 a sqft.............why?????
Now the way it is we have to pay overtime for a lockup and costs to pick up and bring to court every time we arrest someone if not two someones. I think the police have been asked for to long to work out of a closet. Anyone who has a license to carry knows we have to go and sit with the chief for renewal. All of us that do this know the police station is long overdue. If we can do this for what we have spent on the new town hall the town is in much better shape.
ReplyDeleteSenior Center,New town hall,police station,Highway Equipment, The list will grow in time but the main thing is we do what we can "afford" Your point of the cost per sq.foot Bob is due to the MSBA tell us what they want us to build.
So if we build it and the charter school comes to Templeton then what.Mothball half the school we didn't need?
Just knowing we will pay for the solar panel brackets and not have any panels is telling me this is only half planned out.
Will we get a grant to put up solar panels or will the TMLWP lease the roof to put their own panels up on it to produce the power they sell the school at a inflated rate.
David,
ReplyDeletePlease tell me why you keep blaming the MSBA. Look at all these other project Elementary schools in MA. Not one of them costs as much as our school and many are for 900+ students. Only a couple schools come close to the cost of Templetons school and they are by Boston a housing 900+ students.
As the plan states they were in contact with the school administration to determine the appropriate, blah, blah, blah..............
If the MSBA is the culprit maybe we should look into building a school without them. Other Elementary school s for similar sizes are less than half our costs with MSBA.
Did anyone think to ask how these two plans work together???? It seems to me we are using the same space twice.
Oh, forgot to post the link that shows my info..............
ReplyDeletehttp://www.massschoolbuildings.org/sites/default/files/edit-contentfiles/Building_With_Us/Cap_Plan_Charts/Est_Const_Total_Proj_Budget_Jan_2015.pdf
Another interesting little tidbit I found on the MSBA site............ Has anyone talked to Phillipston. It appears they just financed something on the Elementary school this year. How does that work with the plan to shutter it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.massschoolbuildings.org/news_events/Board_3.25.15/Audit
Bob the presentation we were shown took into account the police ad on and was mentioned at the forum by the opm.
ReplyDeleteThe MSBA we were told was where the design and type of model school came from. I don't know if the price was due to the design of it or just the site it was to be put on??
I do think we are better off to purchase the land on Baldwinville road and build a school "we" think we need and are not building a school we are told we need. I would support a 30 million dollar school that we want and have room for a field to play,room for a lot to park and not spend a fortune on changing Templeton center around. What if they are wrong and the traffic is a problem for people to get around the school at times. We have to live with the problem from then on. Do we want to pave in front of the fire station to allow parking and a way to get to the stores. No parking for the craft fair which use to be behind the school. What will we dig up and how much to tear down the old school will be a unknown cost for us.
I agree with you on this Bob.
If the MSBA is the culprit maybe we should look into building a school without them. Other Elementary school s for similar sizes are less than half our costs with MSBA.
For those who read this Bob M. is not the town administrator.
Thank you Bob for the links i will look them over tonight.
Bob after a quick look at the school cost site it was clear to me the cost to build a "new" school has gone up compared to 2011 to now. The lowers start bid for any 2014 projects was a low of 370 to a high of 420. Still like you said the size was bigger and the total cost was lower. The site may be a factor in the higher cost estimates and with the limited area to work from also could be a issue. Not sure on either but i wish i knew what i know now to ask questions at those forums.
ReplyDeleteThe site shows a much lower cost to renovate and add on compared to new. We have been told no to that option. There was not enough room to go in that direction. So lets put another flat roof on our school and ask down the road who would put a flat roof on after we have so much trouble with the flat roofs we have now on our schools.