DALTON, Mass.—The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee is reviewing potential sites to possibly include in its feasibility study. 

 

Committee members limited the number of properties for the feasibility study review to four but will include a provision in its request for quotes to have a price for evaluating additional properties if that becomes needed. 

 

The committee originally considered six sites: the old Dalton Garage, 197 Main St., 450 West Housatonic St., 11 Cleveland Rd., 134 East Housatonic St., and 339 North Street. 

 

During the committee's meeting last week, it was announced that the old Dalton Garage is no longer an option, the reason was not explained. 

 

However, committee member Dave Martindale presented three additional properties for consideration: the bank lot on South Carson Ave. and some of the First Congregational Church property. 

 

Martindale said he spoke to the owner Greg Schnopp who said he would consider a deal. As a contractor, he can build the place to suit the department but the committee will have to conduct a feasibility study to determine if that site is even close to being large enough.

 

The Congregational Church has offices in the basement with a walkout and some offices on the second floor on the south end available for rent. 

 

"They are open to possibly renting or leasing the entire West Wing there, which was formerly a school for autistic children, I believe," Martindale said. 

 

There is also the possibility of building a building that would be farther to the east and would use some of the green space and parking lot. 

 

The church would take the parking lot on the west side to make up for what they would lose, he said. 

 

The two-story building has approximately 2600 square feet on each level and was built with the provisions to add a third floor.

 

"So, there are obviously some hurdles there. The utilities for that building and the church are all tied together, as is the heat. There's questions about moving air in the in the facility. All those would get spelled out if we target that in our feasibility study," Martindale said.

 

Committee member Anthony Pagliarulo also said he spoke to the American Legion commander who agreed to have committee members speak with its board about possibly "slicing off a piece of property" to build a facility. 

 

Discussions with the commander were very preliminary but that commander "sounded positive," Pagliarulo said. 

 

The properties on 450 West Housatonic Street and East Housatonic street have abutting railroads which is something Police Chief Deanna Strout said could negatively impact the police facilities communications center. 

 

"The noise of the trains and especially their whistles could hinder our dispatchers to be able to hear callers, officers, and fire and EMS personnel. The constant vibration of passing trains could damage the radio towers that would be attached to the building," she said in an email to the committee. 

 

"Lastly, the possibility of an emergency with a passing train such as a derailment, or a hazardous spill, could damage a building in close proximity or put employees at risk. I know the possibility of an emergency is minimal, but it is still a risk." 

 

She also said that central location, although ideal, is not absolutely necessary because officers patrol the town while on duty and "won't typically be responding from the station like fire and EMS do," she said. 

 

"They could be anywhere in the town when a call comes in so the central location of a potential spot isn't as important for police as it would be for a fire department."

 

Pagliarulo pointed out that if the town is able to find what is considered a "unique property" under the state uniform procurement act, the town does not have to go through a competitive bidding process to acquire it, which is simpler and would streamline the process. 

 

A unique property is a site that has specific characteristics that set it apart from other options. The committee has to define the criteria that would make a property unique. 

 

Committee members also agreed that the old Dalton High School property, located in the field in next to the Senior Center, should be one of the locations up for consideration. 

 

The property has some hurdles like some of the other properties, such as flooding, which is being addressed with the Walker Brook project. 

 

It was noted that utilizing the location for a police station would need to be approved at a town meeting because when the town demolished the old school for a million dollars, there was a commitment that housing was going to be the priority in order to build up more tax revenue to repay the funds it cost to demolish the building. 

 

If the town were to change this to use the parcel for municipal use then they would have to go back to town meeting for approval.