NORTHFIELD — Two of three articles that related to emergency services facilities were turned down by voters Wednesday night, including one that would have authorized town officials to begin purchasing a property proposed to house the EMS and Police departments.
“Unfortunately, that does continue to set us back,” EMS Chief Mark Fortier said of the outcome of the Special Town Meeting. “We’ve been looking at this for going on 20 years now. We just don’t know what a solution is that the town is willing to accept at this point. We will continue to be looking at alternatives for all our public safety services. We just … have to regroup and come up with some more ideas.”
Of the three articles related to emergency services facilities, two pertained to funding a building, including design, engineering, project management, construction, site preparation, and the acquisition and installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment. A third article sought to authorize the Selectboard to buy a property located at 168 Main St. to house the Police and EMS departments, pending certain terms and conditions, such as funding, were met.
The meeting on Wednesday followed a Special Town Meeting in April, during which residents voted 191-157 in favor of allocating $13.5 million for a new 18,200-square-foot public safety complex at 121 Main St. However, 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 try to find an alternative solution.
The first article, which failed to receive the required two-thirds majority on Wednesday, asked voters to approve the transfer of $450,000 from the town’s Capital Stabilization Account and $312,012 from the account containing the proceeds from the sale of a cell tower easement.
“I really don’t like the idea,” said resident Barry Bordner. “I just want you all to understand tonight, you’re all bankers. You’re the bankers of the citizenry of Northfield. When you think about this … think about it as a banker. Is it a wise investment?”
Bordner argued there were still unknowns and that it appeared voters were being asked to sign a “blank check.” He echoed resident Joe Graveline, who said earlier in the meeting that the article “lacks transparency and accountability.”
Selectboard member Sarah Kerns said that while she supports police, fire and EMS, she would be voting “no” to transferring the money outlined in Article 1.
“Because I don’t think that this building is good for our purposes as a town, I will be voting ‘no’ to transfer this money,” Kerns said, referring to the 168 Main St. building referenced in Article 3. “As a mom, I know that when I break a $20 bill, it disappears, it dissipates. This money is safely sitting where it needs to be sitting until it’s time to spend it appropriately. I think it should stay there.”
Other residents, however, spoke in favor of transferring the money.
“If you’re going to look at yourselves as bankers, also consider yourselves as investors in your own town,” said resident Jennifer Cox, who also serves as chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals. “We’re in dire need of new buildings and facilities for our emergency services. The Fire Station is falling apart. … They have to spread out the ambulance facility in a different building, and if you haven’t been down to the Police Station, it’s not safe for citizens or people they have in custody.”
Resident Lynn Hansell said she was “disappointed” by the “naysayers,” who have continually shot down ideas, without coming forward with ones of their own.
“I have attended or viewed many of the meetings, as many of you have as well, and I do not believe for one second there is a single person … who is disingenuous,” Hansell said. “The people who work for this town work … with the best intentions, and I will support them for that reason alone. … We need new facilities for these three services. How do you propose we do it?”
Ultimately, residents voted 191-157 in favor of Article 1, failing, however, to receive a two-thirds majority.
Article 2, meanwhile, which did pass by majority, asked voters to raise and appropriate $500,000 for fiscal year 2024, also to put toward the costs of an emergency services building. Selectboard member Barbara “Bee” Jacque gave a brief explanation of the article, which was followed by no discussion.
On the last of the three articles relating to emergency services, Article 3, residents voted by ballot 114-102 in favor of authorizing the Selectboard to acquire, by purchase, gift or eminent domain, a property at 168 Main St., subject to funding, inspections and certain conditions. However, the article failed to receive the required two-thirds majority.
Following Jacque’s remarks on the building, which she said would help to address the space and privacy needs of the Police Department, EMS Chief Mark Fortier spoke favorably of the building, while also raising concerns about its location on Main Street. He said the building is double the size of the department’s current space and, with the creation of bays, would allow him to house all three ambulances in one space, as opposed to the current setup, which has one housed at an Erving station.
“If I have to generate 1,000 calls out of that building, I have to come down Main Street 1,000 times — anybody who has tried to get down Main Street when the [Northfield Creamie] is open knows it’s impossible,” he said. “If this building project, in its entirety … is going to cost $5 million to renovate, I’ll be the first to stand up here against it.”
But if the building can be rehabilitated for a “cheap amount of money,” Fortier said, “it’s probably the right move. It does give us the area to expand and do whatever we need to do. It’s not the best location but it’s better than the building I’m currently in right now.” Northfield EMS is currently located in a leased building at 41 Main St.
The topic was heavily debated among residents, with many who spoke on Article 1 speaking on Article 3, as well.
Police Chief Jon Hall, who serves as a member of the Emergency Services Facility Committee, said in an interview Thursday that while the 168 Main St. building “would have worked” from his department’s perspective, he’s open to suggestions for alternatives moving forward.
“I’m open to looking at any opportunities that someone might suggest might make a good option for a Police Department, whether that’s collaborating with EMS or the Fire Department,” Hall said. “It’s all … about figuring out what the community wants.”
In other business, voters supported allocating $81,169.20 toward the purchase of a new or used debris truck for the Highway Department.
They indefinitely tabled a motion to 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. This followed resident Joan Valva’s request for the definition of “resident,” noting there are students who reside in the town for only part of the year and families who live in town seasonally, with permanent residence elsewhere.
Article 6, meanwhile, which sought to transfer the care, custody and control of 10 properties in town, passed with an amendment that eliminated the latter half of the motion, which authorized the Selectboard to “convey said properties by such method, including auction, and on such terms and conditions, and for such consideration, as the Selectboard seems appropriate.” This followed concerns from residents that the Selectboard would dispose of a property without resident input.
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.