Two building options considered in Sanbornton

SANBORNTON – Continuing their review of town building needs, Sanbornton’s Building Construction Committee will present their findings and proposed solutions at a series of public meetings in October and November.

The October meetings will take place on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m., Oct. 22 at 7 p.m., Oct. 26 at 7 p.m., and Oct. 29 at 1 p.m., in the main meeting room at the existing town offices located at 573 Sanborn Road. A number of meetings will be held in order to maximize town residents' attendance in smaller groups per COVID guidelines. Facemasks are requested and guidelines will be upheld.

The Building Construction Committee has held over 30 meetings over the past months, along with meeting with town leaders and visits to neighboring facilities. Working with the town's engineering firm, Bonnette Page and Stone, the committee has prioritized the needs of the Police Department along with needs at current town offices. The review resulted in eight solutions being put forth, including onsite current location and off-site locations. The final review captures two potential solutions which will be outlined in these public meetings.

The first solution includes an addition to the current town offices with an attachment being constructed on the west side of the building, resulting in a slightly larger footprint (500 square feet)  than the current town offices. The existing town office building would be renovated and updated into a new police facility. This facility renovation will increase the footprint of the police station from its current 900+ square feet to approximately 2,600 square feet, while bringing the facility up to current building standards. It was clear in the committee's review that the police department building is woefully inadequate in the safety and security of its employees and town residents.

The second potential solution involves a standalone building located in the field behind the Old Town Hall on land that was acquired several years ago for that potential purpose. That proposal would also also result in an approximately 2,600 square foot facility, albeit in standalone fashion away from the existing town office complex.

The subject of Police Department and Town Office building needs has been discussed many times over the past 20 years with multiple study groups in place to review those needs. The last study, which took place three years ago, resulted in a proposal that carried a price tag of about $5 million that was turned down by voters at town meeting. The current committee was tasked with identifying a more realistic number, which resulted in the two options and a cost of approximately $2.5 million. The committee heard loudly in its town-wide survey that residents agreed with the need but the cost must be minimized.

The upcoming meetings are being held to allow town residents to review data and give feedback to the committee. Overviews of the options, along with financial outlooks, will be available for residents to review.

This series of October meetings, along with tours of the current police station and town offices, will be followed by a set of meetings in November, including a Saturday morning meeting to assist those with difficult schedules. Dates for the November meetings will be shared in coming weeks.

For additional information:

Brendan Morrison        603-630-3976

Steven Cobb            508-942-9472