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Clarksburg to Vote on Police Station FundsBy Tammy Daniels - December 11, 2007
CLARKSBURG - Voters will decide on Wednesday night whether act on a state grant to revamp the Police Department space.
The special town meeting will be held immediately after the Selectmen's regular meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
The state awarded the town a $40,000 matching grant toward the renovation and expansion of the police safety office, which is little more than a converted office and hallway in the Town Hall basement.
The town has $20,000 in reserve to put toward the grant. Voters are being asked to approve transferring another $20,000 from the stabilization fund to complete the match. The money has to be taken from the fund because the state hasn't certified the town's free cash.
"We have to appropriate the money before the cutoff date to secure the grant," said Selectmen Chairwoman Debra LeFave. "This is really advantageous to [voters] because we need a decent police station and the ADA compliance comes along with it."
LeFave said the town was looking at a bill of about $300,000 to bring the Town Hall into compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act a few years ago. Those requirements were taken into account when the police station designs were drawn up.
"ADA compliance comes with it like a Christmas gift," she said.
Westall Architects of Williamstown was hired to create design plans, which will include moving heating and electrical elements and removing asbestos insulation. The cost of the consultation, which will include bidding specifications for the project, is $3,000. Selectmen hoped to have preliminary drawings on hand for Wednesday's meeting.
Town officials had asked for $120,000 to expand and improve what is essentially a blocked-off hallway used by Police Chief Michael Williams. Town Administrator Michael Canales said the state had decided the renovations could be done for $80,000.
Clarksburg was one of 23 communities that received matching grants through the state Executive Office of Public Safety out of the nearly 100 that applied. Some $2 million was set aside in state capital funding for repair, renovation and construction of municipal police stations through the Executive Office of Public Safety.
Williams and his officers work out of an 8-foot by 9-foot room. The hallway leading to the room is used as a storage, work and lobby area.
With renovations, more of the basement that is now used for town meeting space would be used by the Police Department. Williams' office would be enlarged and an interview room and a general work area for officers would be constructed. Prisoners would continue to be transported to the North Adams Police Department lockup and town meetings would be moved to the elementary school.
To secure the grant, voters must approve the matching funds before the end of this month. |
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