Ridgefield Public Safety Facilities Committee Focuses On Survey Results, Costs And Next Steps

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Members of the Ridgefield Public Safety Facilities Committee on March 12 discussed how to move forward with planning for potential police and fire facility improvements, emphasizing community input, data analysis and cost considerations as the process advances.

The committee meeting opened with a discussion of a prior consultant presentation from Kaestle Boos Associates and questions raised by residents about the options originally outlined in the town’s request for proposals.

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Resident Kirk Carr of Prospect Bridge Road urged the committee to revisit the framework outlined in the original RFP, which called for evaluating several concepts, including renovating the existing facilities, building a satellite station, constructing a combined public safety facility, or some combination of those approaches.

Carr said he had not seen a clear comparison of those alternatives.

“I don’t think I’ve seen those options — where they say these are the three options, this is what they would cost, and these are the pros and cons,” he said.

Committee members acknowledged the point but said their focus now is on moving forward.

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Committee member Pamela Dunaway said the town’s aging facilities make inaction unrealistic.

“The whole reason we’re even talking about this is because we know we need to do something,” Dunaway said. “The state of these 100-year-old buildings is not functional in some capacities.”

Demographics, demand and public safety trends

During the discussion, Dunaway said evaluating public safety needs requires looking beyond total population numbers.

While Ridgefield’s population has remained relatively flat, she said other factors — including an aging population and rising mental health-related calls — could increase demand for emergency services.

Residents age 65 and older currently make up roughly 19 percent of the town’s population and account for a disproportionate share of EMS calls, she said. With many residents now in middle age, that share could grow in the coming years.

Mental health issues are also affecting call volumes, she said.

“The numbers of young people that are now diagnosed with mental health issues in Connecticut is about 33 percent more than it was about 10 years ago,” Dunaway said, noting that those trends can lead to more wellness checks and domestic calls for police.

Committee members also said visitor traffic from nearby cities such as Danbury and Norwalk contributes to service demands.

Survey launched to gauge public sentiment

The committee reported early results from a community survey aimed at understanding residents’ views following the defeat of previous public safety facilities referendums.

About 20,000 emails were sent through community organizations inviting participation, Dunaway said.

As of the meeting:

• 364 residents had signed up for committee alerts
• 641 residents had started the survey
• About 526 had completed it

Dunaway said that sample size could represent a statistically meaningful cross-section of Ridgefield residents if the demographics are balanced.

The survey asks questions about age, income and time living in Ridgefield to help the committee understand how different groups view potential projects.

“The data comes back filtered. It’s just data points,” Dunaway said, emphasizing that responses are anonymous.

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Committee members said the survey results will help guide future community discussions and brainstorming sessions.

Cost expected to remain a central issue

Several committee members said cost will ultimately shape any proposal that moves forward.

Resident Jim Murphy of Barrack Hill Road said the price of the last referendum proposal played a major role in its defeat.

“People are like, I’m not spending $80 million. It’s not happening,” Murphy said.

Committee members agreed that future recommendations must balance public safety needs with affordability.

Member Stephen Scalzo said the committee’s task is to translate operational needs into realistic project costs.

“We can throw out all the design ideas we like … people are still going to come back and say, ‘What’s it going to cost?’” Scalzo said.

Committee members also confirmed that professional consultants would be brought in later to produce reliable cost estimates rather than relying on committee speculation.

Outreach and expert input planned

The committee is also planning a series of future meetings with town boards and officials, including:

• Board of Finance
• Planning and Zoning Commission
• Police Commission
• Fire department leadership

Members said these discussions will help clarify regulatory constraints, operational needs and possible sites for facilities.

They are also encouraging residents to tour the current police and fire facilities before participating in future brainstorming sessions.

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Committee members said that understanding the conditions of the existing buildings would help the public engage more effectively in discussions about potential solutions.

Next steps

The committee plans to close the survey within about 10 days, review the responses and begin public brainstorming sessions informed by the data.

Those discussions could eventually lead to more structured design workshops and a formal recommendation to the Board of Selectpersons.

Throughout the process, members said maintaining transparency and public involvement is critical.

“We’re trying to make sure this is a project we’re working on together as neighbors,” committee Chair Wally Martinez said.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:23 p.m.