Space Needs Committee
Cynthia Anderson
Gerald Cooper
Carolyn Currier
Trudy Heath
Tim Julian
Steve Klein
Ann Neilsen
Peter Neilsen

Board of Selectmen Meeting March 26, 2008:

The Board reviewed discussions regarding town building needs.  Neal stated that it had been mentioned the possibility the owners of the home across the street may be considering selling.  The Board agreed a letter should be sent to the owners informing them of a possible interest in purchasing the property by the Town if they do find themselves in a position of selling.

Space Needs Committee Report to the Town Meeting

The Selectman have established the Space Needs Committee to continue work initiated by an Ad Hoc group of citizens to explore solutions to growing Town Personnel, Administration and Records Retention and Storage space. At the outset, the Committee heard input from Police Department staff concerning the limitations and insecurity of their current office and storage space. Other needs identified were legally required retention and storage of Town Records, The Town Kindergarten and ifs proximity to the Police Department facilities, inadequate Town Administration and Office staff meeting space in the Town Office building and the possible expansion of the Library Facilities to facilitate and expand its activities.

Before the next meeting could be held there was a serious breech of the Police Department facilities resulting in an extremely disturbing incident which underscored the security and facilities issues of the Police Department. While a security system was installed in the Town Office facilities and Library, the Committee immediately focused on this need as its highest priority. The Selectmen, recognizing the value of this effort, formally recognized the Space Needs Committee as an official task based Town committee.

Among Police Facilities options explored to date were:

Refurbish the Town Storage Building adjacent to the Town Meeting House. Site a facility on Town land existing Fire and Road facilities.

For various reasons the Town Storage building was not considered an optimum solution. Current focus is on the existing Fire & Road Facilities site and this option will be further evaluated with the site remediation planning and engineering survey budgeted for 2008.

While this work progresses, we will explore existing Police Department facilities in comparable area towns and consider other options that may arise for presentation to the Selectmen. We remain committed to identifying satisfactory options leading to the provision of safe and adequate facilities for the Police Force as a critical, high priority to address the risks we believe the current, insecure facilities present to the Town Office personnel and Kindergarten staff and students. The Selectmen share our concerns and are committed to addressing them in a timely manner, recognizing that other concerns will be competing for limited resources.

In 2008, the Committee will revisit the other need areas identified at its initial meeting - legally required records preservation, retention and storage; Town Administration and Office staff work and meeting space requirements and the configuration and potential expansion of the Town Office, Library and Kindergarten. 

Respectfully,

Space Needs Committee
Cynthia Anderson
Gerald Cooper
Carolyn Currier
Trudy Heath
Tim Julian
Steve Klein
Ann Neilsen
Peter Neilsen

Send mail to webmaster@springfieldnh.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Contact Springfield Police Department via email springfieldpd@springfieldnh.net