LYNNFIELD — The initial presentation of the public safety building project took place during a select board meeting last week, detailing the process and next steps to creating a new fire and police station connected to Town Hall.
During this process, a conceptual study was done — working with Tappe Associates and Team — that came up with a proposed public safety facility at Town Hall. A computerized and to-scale layout was then drawn up, looking at efficiencies, building layout, front facing customer service, accessibility, and the ability to go from one building to another for administrative purposes.
This project would house all of the police force, some of the fire department, and all existing town hall services.
During the presentation, Fire Chief Glen Davis and Police Chief Nick Secatore discussed much needed improvements to their department’s current buildings. Public Safety Building Committee member John Scenna said the proposed project can provide these updates to the public safety departments, offering a proper booking area for the police department and adequate space for the fire department.
One of the biggest concerns of the current fire stations is the lack of separation between dirty and clean space, Davis said.
“Chemicals are stored beside the ice machine – there’s just a lack of space,” Davis said.
The fire department buildings were designed and built in the 1960s, so there is no space dedicated for the two female firefighters to have privacy or separate facilities including showers and bunk space.
In fact, Davis said there were no bunk spaces built in either of the fire stations, so they are currently using an office with a twin bed in it. Davis’ office has also been used on and off to put twin beds in to separate firefighters when sleeping, while some firefighters are sleeping in recliners.
At the police station, Secatore said there are several issues, including a small area that is closed off to the public.
“We need an open, welcoming police station with facilities in the vestibule and safe space for someone to enter the police station and be able to sit down to speak to a police officer,” Secatore said. “We need an open community oriented station.”
Secatore said the department is currently forced to take prisoners up a narrow staircase from the garage right into the center and main floor of the police station, as the holding facility is not separated.
“It is inadequate. We also hold them in cells that are about 5’ x 7’ and it’s substandard,” he said.
The female holding cell is in the female locker room so when a female employee has to use the restroom, they are forced to walk by someone in the holding cell.
“We’re asking to fix major issues,” Secatore said.
Last week’s presentation was the first of many public presentations regarding the plan to replace and renovate Lynnfield’s public safety building infrastructure and town hall.
The Select Board initially appointed a Strategic Plan Committee in 2019, chaired by member Joseph Connelll, to identify municipal capital needs, study those needs, and develop a plan of action with funding options for each.
When the public safety facilities were identified unanimously as a top priority among municipal buildings, a preliminary feasibility study was funded to identify broad needs. Then, money was authorized during a town meeting for an in-depth architectural study, which Town Administrator Rob Dolan said was properly funded and has been completed and identified specific program needs of police and fire.
“Our committee has been charged with identifying the most pressing challenges we face as a town and moving solutions forward,” Dolan said. “What we are presenting tonight is the first formal analysis of the needs of our public safety facilities since the early 1960s — that is 62 years ago — and in turn, presenting solutions to those challenges.”
When the current stations were built, Dolan said, the town did not have a full-time fire department, instead relying on volunteer service. Dolan said the town only had one combined police and fire chief; was a rural suburb without significant commercial structures and a total population of 8,000 residents; did not run emergency response medical services (ambulance), which now generates 70 percent of calls; and the thought of a woman firefighter or woman police officer was unthinkable and was “not an option for young girls open to dream about.”
“When the current stations were built, the understanding of carcinogens, chemicals, and exhaustion inhalation was minimal,” Dolan said. “Now we know without debate that these workplace hazards kill police officers and firefighters and building design can keep officers safe.”
Dolan said the building project is efficient, without frills, and focuses on needs more than wants.
“We are not designing a building, however, for 2022. We are building facilities for the next 75 to 100 years,” he said. “We must design a building that will someday house departments that will look very different than they do today.”
The tough part about this project, Dolan said, is that it will require a tax increase.
“We have interest rate challenges, supply chain challenges, construction costs escalations, and inflation that has hit all of us. All of these points are true and not debatable,” he said. “We also know that this problem exists, it’s serious today and it’s not ever going away.”
The public safety building committee is continuing to work with Lynnfield’s finance team on developing a plan to fund this project.
The committee plans to follow up in October with the Select Board to discuss final details of the design and project cost estimate and financing.
According to the project timeline that Scenna discussed, all construction would be complete in 2026.
The public safety building committee is hoping the Select Board will vote on the project during Town Meeting on Nov. 14.
Allysha Dunnigan can be reached at [email protected].
