NORTHFIELD — Two months after a Special Town Meeting warrant article asking for $13.5 million to pay for a new 18,200-square-foot public safety complex at 121 Main St. failed to received enough support from voters, the town is asking voters to approve nearly $1.94 million in funding to support a revised effort.
Town officials will present two funding articles related to emergency services facilities, as well as a third article regarding property acquisition, as part of a six-article warrant during a Special Town Meeting on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.. The meeting will be held at Pioneer Valley Regional School.
Residents who attended the April Special Town Meeting voted 191-157 in favor of allocating $13.5 million for the public safety complex project, but the article did not receive the two-thirds majority necessary for adoption of borrowing authorizations, zoning changes, and property acquisition and transfers. Thus, the Emergency Services Facility Committee was forced to get back to work to try to find an alternative solution.
The first two of the warrant’s six articles pertain to different funding sources, explained Fire Chief Floyd “Skip” Dunnell III. The first article asks townspeople to transfer $450,000 from the town’s Capital Stabilization Account and $312,011.80 from the account containing the proceeds from the sale of a cell tower easement to put toward the costs of an emergency services building, including design, engineering, project management, construction, site preparation, and the acquisition and installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment. This article requires a two-thirds majority for adoption. The second article pertains to raising and appropriating $500,000 for fiscal year 2024 for the same purposes.
Dunnell said the town has the option of having the three emergency services departments — police, fire and EMS — under one roof or potentially parsing them out in more than one facility.
“It probably won’t be all three in one building,” he said. “It will probably be separate, if it’s less expensive.”
He mentioned the Fire Station at 93 Main St. is likely the facility “in the toughest shape.” The Northfield Police Station is located inside Town Hall at 69 Main St., while Northfield EMS is at 41 Main St. The new home of the police and EMS could be 168 Main St. if the warrant’s third article is adopted. This article asks voters to authorize the Selectboard to acquire that property by purchase, gift or eminent domain, and requires a two-thirds majority to pass. Adoption of this article would also transfer $675,000 from available funds to the Emergency Services Building Account.
Town Administrator Andrea Llamas explained the 168 Main St. address technically consists of two buildings with separate owners. She explained the plan would be to rehabilitate the larger office for police and EMS offices, and to do the same with the smaller portion to accommodate three ambulances. If this portion cannot be renovated, Llamas said, it will instead be demolished and replaced.
She said the Emergency Services Facility Committee is “trying to take the cues” given by residents at the April Special Town Meeting, where voters made it clear that reuse is preferable to buying and building something new on undisturbed land. She also said this option would be significantly less expensive, though the total cost is not yet known.
Voters will also be as ked to allocate $81,169.20 toward the purchase of a new or used debris truck for the Highway Department in Article 4.
Adoption of Article 5 would amend a committee membership bylaw to allow any Northfield resident, regardless of whether they are registered to vote, to be appointed to a town board, commission, committee or council.
The warrant’s final article pertains to transferring the care, custody and control of 10 properties in town. This article requires a two-thirds majority.
A copy of the warrant can be found at: bit.ly/44kYmxq.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.