THE PROPOSED public safety building project involves building a new Fire Headquarters next to the South Fire Station. (Dan Tomasello Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — A plan to overhaul the town’s aging public safety buildings and upgrade Town Hall will tentatively cost $41.25 million, Public Safety Building Committee (PSBC) Chairman John Scenna said during the Select Board’s March 7 meeting.
Town Administrator Rob Dolan explained that the Strategic Planning Committee was tasked with identifying and getting cost estimates for long-term capital projects. He said the SPC’s October 2020 report identified the elementary schools’ expansion project as the number one priority, which was followed by addressing the town’s three public safety buildings and the Lynnfield Public Library.
Scenna said a feasibility study undertaken by DiGiorgio Associates, Inc. has recommended a “two-part program” to modernize and upgrade all three public safety buildings as well as Town Hall. All three buildings were constructed in the 1960s.
“What we have today is extremely deficient,” said Scenna.
Scenna said the first component of the project involves renovating and expanding the Police Station, Fire Headquarters and Town Hall.
“An addition would be built at the rear of the building and an addition would be built in front of the building to enclose the entrance,” said Scenna. “It would make the entire complex handicap accessible.”
Scenna said DiGiorgio Associates, Inc. and Building Inspector Joe O’Callaghan determined that both public safety buildings and Town Hall are one building because all three facilities are connected. As a result, he said the project has to make both stations and Town Hall compliant with the Americans with Disability Act.
“Since it’s one building, any improvement triggers improvements on the entire envelope on the site,” said Scenna. “Town Hall does not have an elevator and ramps. The addition would include an elevator and ADA accessible hallways.”
Scenna said the Town Hall renovation project also involves installing sprinklers that would make the building compliant with the Fire Code. He also said the project would address space issues at Town Hall.
“By building an addition behind the entire back of the building, we are not only able to address police and fire needs, but we can address ADA accessibility problems, fire suppression and some space issues,” said Scenna. “What we are also proposing as part of this project is building a new H. Joseph Maney Meeting Room for meetings and community use that would be similar to the Al Merritt Center. It would provide a lot more flexibility than what is there today.”
Scenna said the project also involves building a new South Fire Station next to the existing building on Salem Street.
“It would be two floors and would have four bays,” said Scenna. “As currently proposed, it would be located in the lower corner of the parking lot.”
Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis informed the Villager that the new South Station would become Fire Headquarters.
Town Engineer Patrick McAlpine and DPW Director John Tomasz are looking to have the Salem and Summer streets intersection get upgraded as part of a Complete Streets project that would be funded by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Scenna said improving the intersection would make it easier for fire engines and ambulances to turn onto Summer Street.
Scenna said the project has to be undertaken in different phases.
“We would build the new South Station first while the existing South Station remains in place,” said Scenna.
After the new South Station is built, Scenna said police officers and firefighters will be relocated from the Police Station and Fire Headquarters to both South Stations while the existing public safety complex and Town Hall gets renovated and expanded.
Scenna said the firm PM&C, which undertook cost estimates for the elementary schools’ expansion project, anticipates that the public safety buildings and Town Hall project will cost $41,250,000.
Dolan said the project coincides with the debt expiring from the Reedy Meadow Golf Course purchase and the school projects from the early 2000s.
“The town voted on a debt exclusion at that time,” said Dolan. “That debt comes off the books in 2025 and 2026. As the Strategic Planning Committee looked at these projects, we wanted to be respectful to taxpayers, especially those on fixed incomes and seniors.”
Dolan said the proposed “painless debt exclusion” involves asking townspeople to vote on the proposal to replace the old debt with new debt for the project. He said short-term debt will need to be funded for a couple of years “while the project advances.”
Scenna said the PSBC is recommending a warrant article be created for Spring Town Meeting that will ask residents to appropriate $3.85 million to hire an architect to design the entire project.
“We are asking the Select Board to authorize us to prepare a Request for Quotation (RFQ) to select an architect,” said Scenna. “If Town Meeting funds the warrant article, we would be able to sign a contract with an architect immediately. That would give the chiefs and the design team the opportunity to start working this summer.”
Dolan agreed.
“We feel that we have a very strong proposal to bring to Town Meeting in May,” said Dolan.
If townspeople approve the project, Scenna said the project’s design will be undertaken over the second half of 2022 and into 2023. He said the South Station project will go out to bid in 2023 and construction would take place in 2023 and 2024.
Scenna said the Police Station, Fire Headquarters and Town Hall project will go out to bid in 2024 and would be constructed in 2024 and 2025. He said town officials are not sure what the future holds for the Salem Street Post Office, whose lease with the town expires in 2026.
“The future of the Post Office on that site is ambiguous,” said Scenna.
Davis and Police Chief Nick Secatore also showed the Select Board photos of all three public safety buildings. Davis noted that firefighters’ protective turnout equipment sits on the floor of both stations next to fire engines.
“They are exposed to exhaust fumes and all of the carcinogens we are trying to protect ourselves from by wearing that gear,” said Davis. “There is a lack of space to hang all of the gear. The stations were built in the 1960s, and they weren’t built for today’s operational standards. When the stations were built, we weren’t providing emergency medical services. We are using every square inch of both stations.”
Dolan noted that federal regulations stipulate that turnout gear and personal-protective equipment have to be stored away from fire apparatus. He said an “incredibly frightening study” revealed that firefighters whose turnout gear was not properly washed and stored resulted in firefighters getting cancer.
Secatore noted that while the Police Department has three dispatchers who are women, he said the Police Station does not have “facilities for women.”
“We have a restroom and a holding cell for women inside of an area that we refer to as the women’s locker-room,” said Secatore. “There is no shower. It is substandard for what we need for our current female employees and our future employees.”
Scenna said the project was presented to police officers and firefighters, whom he said were “very supportive and appreciative” of the project.
Board expresses support
Select Board member Joe Connell, who is a member of the PSBC and was the Strategic Planning Committee’s chairman, said the time has come to address the town’s aging public safety buildings.
“We are very fortunate the debt from the early 2000s is falling off,” said Connell. “These buildings are not really safe for our police officers and firefighters, and we are obligated to take care of them. I think now is the time to do these projects.”
Connell said constructing a new Maney Room would provide a larger area for boards and committees to hold meetings. He also said town employees can use the area as a conference room.
“More importantly, Town Hall would become ADA compliant, which it’s not right now,” said Connell. “If you are in a wheelchair, you can’t get into Town Hall. That is unacceptable. I recommend that we push forward with this project.”
Select Board Chairman Dick Dalton thanked Scenna, Connell, Davis, Secatore and PSBC/Finance Committee member Kristen Elworthy for their work on the project.
“We have proven that having the right people on building committees and using their talents will benefit the town by bringing forward good projects,” said Dalton.
Select Board member Phil Crawford thanked Scenna and the PSBC for their work on the project.
“These infrastructure issues were known years ago, but the timing is right because the debt is coming off the books,” said Crawford. “It won’t impact the taxpayers in any great way. I think we should rally behind this project.”