Residents will have the opportunity to hear more about proposed renovations to the current New Ipswich Police Department, and offer feedback to the Select Board, in a public hearing on Tuesday, July 26.
The fate of the police department has been debated since 2008, when the department moved from the mold-infested town-owned Building No. 2, located behind the town offices, to its current rented location on Turnpike Road. The move was meant to be temporary, but the department has remained there since.
The town has made several proposals for updated facilities, including building a new department in 2017, as well as purchasing the entirety of the rented building, renovating and building an addition in 2019, but none have gained the traction needed to pass at the polls.
On Tuesday at 7 p.m., members of the Select Board will be presenting the possibility of a smaller-scale renovation of the current space, which would include expanding the offices to the right side of the building and installing holding cells, along with a new, separate entrance to allow police to bring arrestees into the building without interacting with the public who might be in the main lobby.
The estimated cost of the renovation is between $40,000 and $50,000.
Space has been a pressing issue for the department since it moved into the rented space. The 1,400 square feet of office space does not have holding facilities, instead using a bench bolted to the floor in an office for detainees, or a separate space for interviewing or holding minors, as is required.
In other Select Board news, the town will be forming a committee to consider the viability of creating a new full-time position that would include the responsibilities of the fire chief, health officer and code enforcement officer.
Chair Shawn Talbot said the intent was to take the three, part-time, stipend positions and make them a single salaried or hourly position. Talbot said now was a good time to consider the change, as Fire Chief Meredith Lund has indicated the the board she intends to retire at some point in the near future.
Talbot suggested the first step would be to form a committee to look at the viability of the combined position, including creating a job description and looking at how other towns who have a combined position manage it, and examining whether it would be fiscally comparable to the stipend system the town currently uses.
Selectman Jason Somero expressed concerns that adding a full-time position could lead to a “snowball” growth, saying a full-time position comes with a price tag that includes insurance expenses.
“To me, it doesn’t blow up the budget – it just doesn’t,” Talbot said.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.