Meredith Selectboard member eyes former PD for office space

MEREDITH — To address space needs, selectboard member Mike Pelczar thinks the public works building on Route 3 could be a good spot to consider for office space for the planning and development department.

“It seemed like a really good idea to explore, and explore hard,” Pelczar said during selectboard comments at the end of the meeting Aug. 10.

Pelczar invited Public Works Director Craig Hale to the podium to discuss current use of what they refer to as “the blue building,” the former home of the Meredith Police Department. Pelczar said Town Manager Judie Milner discussed selling the building. He noticed, in past conversations with Hale, it is vital to the department he leads.

Hale said the buildings and grounds department is technically assigned to the building, but employees work out of the new highway garage. There is a break space, locker rooms, and a storage container in the back. He said things like staining picnic tables can be done inside, especially during the winter, so they can dry in a warm spot.

“There’s a space need for that,” Hale said. “The highway garage, as it exists now, doesn’t really have any place that can handle all that. It’s a very well thought out area for the highway department and mechanics for taking care of the entire town’s fleets and equipment.”

The blue building houses supplies like nuts, bolts, toilets, holiday lights, paint, battery chargers, cleaning supplies and “anything they need to do maintenance.”

Hale said they are working on moving to digital storage, but some items, like property maps, road files and driveway files, are stored in the building, as well.

“We have a very good filing system,” Hale said. “Every record that’s done is kept.”

There is a room specifically for electrical and irrigation storage, and also used as a sign shop.

“The other thing we’ve done recently on the request of the selectboard is we’ve lettered every vehicle for the Town of Meredith, except for any emergency things, police and fire,” Hale said. “So, all the departments with vehicles with the lettering on the side, we did that in-house. That would be a huge cost to the Town of Meredith just to complete that.”

Hale said the space is “very active” for the buildings and grounds department, saying employees are in and out “all day long.”

“It’s a very operational building,” Hale said. “We do have three empty offices in there, but Monica [Bennett] and I take up two. There’s a whole front desk area, which we don’t have anyone sitting at currently. There’s another desk next to that, but that’s all part of that storage area.”

Pelczar said that sums up the building, and from Hale’s comments, there is space, considering there are three extra offices. Pelczar said an employee suggested moving the planning and development department there, and getting rid of the annex.

“To me, that sounds like a pretty good idea, because that building’s been identified as something that, you know, should come down,” Pelczar said.

He said the annex has been problematic, and has been tested in the past for mold, and using the blue building might be a good move. He noted it's getting harder for people to find parking for Town Hall on Main Street. Hale agreed. Hale added parking at the blue building is easy, and the building in the worst condition in town is the annex.

“I don’t think anyone’s unaware of that,” Hale said. “It needs a lot of work. I’ve watched since I’ve been here, a lot of get denied over the years, there’s been some things presented, and we’re not putting the money into that.

“We’re the point now that it needs a major rehab.”

Selectboard member Jeanie Forrester remembered when it was the police department, and also a court at one time. She asked if everything was stable at the building on Route 3. Hale said it is, and has a metal roof replaced four years ago. When he worked under former director Mike Faller, it was a good place to work closely with him, to learn.

Forrester asked if there is space for planning and development, and Hale said he thinks there is. He also said the planning and development department, and public works, often have the same customers.

“I think it is something, personally, as a director, that should definitely be reviewed to better space needs,” Hale said.

Hale noted he has said in meetings that his biggest concern is the buildings and grounds department, and having working space in the building. Hale said until there is a final plan, he thinks it is best suited to think about specific needs.

“I do, too,” Pelczar said. “I think it’s worth seriously looking into.”