Need For New Public Safety and DPW Buildings Addressed at Budget Summit

The finance committee will endorse a $34.9 million plan to construct a new DPW and public safety complex to be built with excluded debt.

Walter Wilk, the vice chairman of the finance committee, said during the town’s budget summit last week that the committee recommended paying for the project with 25 year loan at 3.25 percent interest over other recommendations to building a new fire department and repair the police station and DPW complex.

According to Wilk, a $15 million fire station and $10 million in repairs paid for with bonds over 10 years would be just as costly as the 25-year plan with a new police station and DPW building likely needed down the road. Wilk said construction of those two buildings in the future would likely come at higher interest rates.

According to a finance committee study, the owner of a $200,000 house will pay $120 a year in the 25-year plan and $128 if the town builds only a new fire station and renovates the other two buildings.

Wilk also addressed rumors surrounding the proposal, explaining that he was asked if the police station was going to have granite counter tops and 26 jail cells. The station will not have granite counter tops and only 18 jail cells will be built.

Citing aging buildings that no longer meet the needs of the town, the three departments are proposing the construction of a 40,238-square-foot public safety building and 36,560-square-foot DPW building at the current DPW site on East Street.

A fact sheet will be available for voters before the May 19 Annual Town Meeting.