Police Station Project May be Able to Afford Some Things After All

A partition would allow police to get more uses out of the new Emergency Operations Center training room. A car port would protect patrol cars in the cold and hot weather months. The Monroe Town Hall parking lot needs paving in some sections and existing garage doors are old and not energy efficient.

Brian Humes, architect for the $4.1 million Monroe Police Department renovation and addition project, told the building committee there have been no change orders for the past few months, which may enable the town to bring back some things taken out of the original scope of the project to stay within budget.

The project started with a $300,000 contingency and about $234,000 is still left. Humes presented a few add ons for the committee to consider at its meeting Monday night.

An operable wall partition in the EOC training room would allow police to divide it so one side could be used by the EOC and the other could be used as a small conference room.

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Chief John Salvatore said the divider could allow for interviews to be done and for dump passes to be sold to residents on the weekend without allowing the public into sensitive areas.

"The original training room has a dividing wall, so in 1972 they saw a need to divide a large room," Salvatore said.

Humes said the steel beam that would separate the rooms in the Emergency Ooperations Center was intentionally made to be strong enough for a partition and he estimates that it would cost $16,000 to be furnished and installed.

The building committee approved an amount not to exceed $16,000 for the partition. Humes will do the research to determine the actual cost.

A Car Port

Police cars have computers and specialized equipment inside, which could be damaged by extreme temperatures in both the winter and summer when kept outside, according to Humes.

Humes said the building committee could consider a car port for 10 vehicles between the two additions behind town hall. It would consist of steel columns and an overhang and could cost between $40,000 and $60,000, according to Humes.

Capt. Michael Flick said a pet peeve of his has been when officers' cars are blocked in with snow in the wintertime and when plowing kicks up stones causing damage to vehicles. He added it is frustrating when he looks out the window and sees an officer who is a first responder to a medical call scraping snow and ice off his car.

In order for a car port to be added to the project, building committee chairman J.P. Sredzinski said a proposal would have to come before the Architectural Review Board and approvals from the Planning & Zoning Commission and the Historic District Commission would be needed.

The committee unanimously voted to approve the concept of a car port. Sredzinski said he will reach out to elected town officials to see what they think of a car port and Humes said he will talk to Town Land Use Dir. Scott Schatzlein.

Paving, Overhead Doors

Humes also suggested that the committee consider paving of the west and north parking lot. Sredzinski said the committee will check with Public Works about the paving.

Clerk of the Works Frank Bent said he would replace the old garage doors on the library side of the building.

"I'm interested in the garage doors," Elizabeth Edgerton, a committee member, agreed.

Salvatore said new doors would be more energy efficient than the existing ones. Edgerton spoke in support of doing "small ticket" items that could save the town money on heating bills or improve safety.

Bent estimated that new doors could cost between $5,000 and $6,000 and Humes agreed.

Humes will get a quote for new doors for the building committee's next meeting to be held on Dec. 13.