NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Police Department expects to be moving into its temporary quarters next month. 

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday that the renovations at the former juvenile are "about 95 percent complete" and that the furniture will be arriving this week. 

 

"Our hope is to have all the communications and everything run by March 1,  but I will say that's a soft date," she said. "We're doing a little bit of a dance with Verizon right now. But we're hoping very soon that we could at least take all of you through."

 

The relocation is a short-term solution to the deficiencies of the 68-year-old public safety building, including lack of space and access, and general deterioration.

 

The structure is also under a U.S. Department of Justice order dating back to a 2010 audit of the city's compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act that rose from a complaint about the police station. The city spent more than $1.2 million making upgrades but little of that went to the public safety building, which city officials have expected to completely replace. 

 

The police union had advocated for the Berkshire Plaza space two years ago  as a meeting their needs. The location is central to downtown, on one level and accessible, has holding cells and a sally port to allow safe and discrete transfer of those being detained.

 

Macksey had informed the council in December that she had signed a two-year lease with owner Scarafoni & Associates with an option for a third. 

 

What won't be moving over for now is dispatch services.

 

"We are in the process of applying for a 911 equipment grant, which not only includes equipment but also the infrastructure improvements that we really need to be done no matter where we are," the mayor said. "Our equipment will not survive a move. So our thought is more to keep dispatching where it is for the moment."

 

She said the grant application is due in the next month or so and the city will be notified of any awards in July. The hope is to have dispatch set up in the new location with all new equipment by August. 

 

Once the temporary headquarters are cleaned up, she said the councilors will be invited on a tour.