DPW/Fire Substation Project Unlikely To Be On Fall Town Meeting Warrant – CapeNews.net

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The Select Board discussed the proposed joint DPW/fire substation project during last week’s meeting.

The Select Board discussed the proposed joint DPW/fire substation project during last week’s meeting.
A discussion on the proposed joint Department of Public Works (DPW) and fire substation facility caused some tension during the Select Board meeting held on August 7.
Assistant Town Manager Heather B. Harper said that Public Works Director Paul Tilton, Fire Chief John J. Burke and the design team had a good discussion on the topic during the last Select Board meeting.
“We talked with Weston and Sampson, KBA and Pomroy about moving forward with some meetings with the users, Paul and JJ, to take a look at the programs as they are recommended, what reductions in program could be made without completely altering the intended purpose of the use. As well as taking a look at any other issues that we might be able to identify to reduce cost,” she said.
Harper said that they will be scheduling those meetings shortly and the group will provide a report on their findings. Additionally, she said that the team will look into what splitting the project would look like.
She said that one of the most valuable aspects that came from the conversation was discussing how to gain feedback from the Select Board, Finance Committee and the community at large.
“[The design team] thought that we should…consider having some focus group meetings. So when we have the additional information together, maybe find a day or a long afternoon and put some small groups together, mixed groups without quorums, of course, and really give the appointed and elected officials an opportunity to dig into the questions that they have,” Harper said adding that the feedback from the focus groups will be presented to the select board.
“That was their recommendation; that wasn’t something we came up with, but they really felt strongly that we weren’t getting the type of feedback that would help them in the design process to scale things back,” Harper said.
Select Board member David J. Sampson asked if the goal is to have the project on fall Special Town Meeting warrant.
“It’s going to take several weeks to get that feedback back from the design team,” Harper said. “It was the intent to try to meet a fiscal year so that we were moving forward with design in 2025 and 2026 so that your cost escalation doesn’t roll over into another year. But given the community dialogue, which is completely appropriate, it doesn’t look like that’s a reasonable expectation.”
Select Board chairman Charles M. Holden noted that he’d still like to see the project go before Town Meeting in the fall, but “we have to get these groups together and move the ball forward.”
Vice chairman Robert J. George said that he has not changed his mind about splitting up the project, with the DPW being built first.
“I can’t see for God’s sake how the townspeople are going to approve $58 million. So if we split it, let’s get the DPW done and then we can look at the fire station building after,” George said.
He said that he spoke with Fire Chief John J. Burke and that he has some ideas regarding what can temporarily be done with the current fire station, which may give a bit more time while a permanent solution is in the works.
“Splitting the project is not going to save money,” Holden said.
“I am surprised, just based on where it’s coming from, that you would want to do the DPW first,” Select Board member R. Patrick Ellis said. “I wouldn’t want to make the decision ‘Oh, I think we should do the DPW first’ and then put people at a greater risk. We are talking about public safety here.”
He said that the matter is comparable to the town spending $33 million to build the Oak Ridge and Forestdale schools.
“The cost of the capital to build Oak Ridge and Forestdale at the time was bigger than our annual budget,” Ellis said. “It’s wrong to give people the impression that somehow they are going to live here in this community and they are going to escape this cost, because it just doesn’t happen.”
“Once we divide this, we are doing fire first,” Ellis said.
George said that he was disappointed in Ellis.
“I said several times, let’s talk to the fire chief, let’s see if he has any ideas. Not one of you even wanted to talk to the fire chief,” George said. He suggested that the only reason why the projects have been combined is because “you think the fire department is going to carry the vote for the highway building.’”
“How do you think a department head reacts when a select board member individually calls them?” Town Manager George H. “Bud” Dunham asked. “What does it say in the town charter? The board of selectmen is not to speak with town staff ever, ever.”
“How do you think that makes the chief feel?” Dunham asked, clearly frustrated. “How many meetings have I sat in with the chief and with you guys at the same meetings; for three-plus years, we’ve been working on this project. He speaks up and comes to every meeting.”
“You guys don’t understand what pressure it puts on the people who report to me when you guys contact them,” Dunham said.
George said that he was still frustrated that the other Select Board members did not attempt to speak with the fire chief after the previous meeting.
Sampson said that although he does not entirely disagree with some of the issues George brought forward, he does believe that the current plan is the best plan.
“I don’t believe that there is considerable or meaningful savings necessarily in moving those things to two different sites,” he said. “I remain significantly concerned about going to Town Meeting and trying to fund the whole project at once because I don’t think that number is going to fly.”
He said that at some point, they are going to have to ask the community to come in so the board can hear from them directly.
The Finance Committee will discuss the project during a meeting scheduled to be held on August 19.
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