Washington Planning Board

Washington Planning Board

Working Meeting Minutes - DRAFT

July 21, 2016

0.0       Assembly: 6:00P M

            0.1       Members present: Crandall, Kluk, Schwartz, Dulac and Williams

            0.2       Alternates present: Terani

0.3       Members and Alternates Absent: Hatch and Russell

0.4       Visitors: Brian Moser, Shawn Atkins, Paul Renken, Herb Killam, Norris Dozios, Jed Schwartz, David Hunt, and Lolly Gilbert

Crandall opened the meeting at 6:00 PM, at Center Station and thanked everyone for coming.

1.0       Plans for the Fire/Rescue Station: Crandall gave an update on what is happening with the plans, conveying that the Planning Board wants their ideas and buy in. He said our common objective is to find something they can live with and sell to the town. Crandall shared the site plans that Costello had done; the original building was sited in the wetlands so he had to come up with options for the wetlands permit process. The BoS then asked him to come up with more options. Number 7 was a barn attached to the existing building. The PB met with the architect Kyle Barker and he had valid concerns about this, but he also had some ideas. The BoS denied us any money to pursue any other options. Atkins asked us why we are trying to reinvent the wheel and wanted to know what was wrong with the original plan. Crandall said we are reacting to the thoughts of the BoS. J. Schwartz spoke about the wetland problem created by the culvert. He feels that if Costello did the permit application it would be approved. Crandall turned the floor over to Williams. Williams shared Costello’s #8 and #9 site drawings. Kluk spoke to the reuse of the existing building and the feedback we had from the BoS to renovate and add a barn. They are looking to save money and relook at things. Dulac said we are looking at the three town buildings and trying to come up with plans for all of them.

            Williams spoke about the options from Costello, he explained that he is on both boards and the BoS came up with the idea of renovating the existing building and add a 4 bay barn. This is the option that they support any other option would have to be a petition article. He walked everyone through the drawing. It had Rescue staying in the existing building, keeping the weight bearing walls in place. There was PD parking and rescue storage, etc. The 4-bay barn had decon, 2 showers, a bathroom and turnout room. He said if positioning is right we could attach the buildings using a breezeway. He said this plan makes a dent in the pricing and with a smaller building they can manage the construction project themselves. Moser asked about code and Williams said that they were advised they don’t have to bring it up to code. Moser said that snow would bury the breezeway; you would have to move the barn back to deal with the snow shedding from the rooflines. J. Schwartz asked about the General Contractor and who would do it. Atkins asked who would take on the liability of a project like that? Williams said the BoS believes the can do it themselves with local help. Atkins does not think that any local contractor will take this on.

We discussed the functionality of the plan. Atkins asked about rooflines, there is a span of 72 feet. He said that 48 feet was too shallow we need an additional 6 feet. Renken wants 5 bays instead of 4 so the UTV/ATV can be inside and the boat should also be in heated storage, out of the freezing weather. He thinks we will have the building for 50 years and we should plan for the future and need that extra bay. Atkins said we don’t want to build in the same problems we have now, we need extra room to grow and don’t want to revisit this in another five years. J. Schwartz said the department is pragmatic and wants to find solutions.

            Williams said that the BoS is talking to Rescue about overnight bunkrooms and have asked Wright to look at state requirements. J. Schwartz said that we kept space in the existing station, in the original plan, for Police as an option and that option is gone if we keep the administration and Rescue in the existing. Atkins asked about the Old Town Garage and the possibility of housing all of that equipment in the existing building. Atkins said that with 2 separate buildings, nothing gets serviced, as it should. He thinks Rescue needs decon adjacent to the Ambulance. Williams said the BoS is looking for a workable solution and this is their plan. Atkins said he is willing to go with the plan from 2 years ago but with the Admin space as a shell, Moser and Schwartz agreed. He suggested putting it on the warrant and see what happens, then maybe go with a new plan if that fails.

            Dulac said the bottom line is that he wants to hear the issues; PB wants to get a plan for the Town Hall and the Public Safety building. Dozios commented that they are all taxpayers as well as Fire/Rescue members. Dulac said we aren’t interested in politics we are looking for solutions. We want to keep the cost down and get all the groups with us, write a warrant article that can be changed from the floor. Moser said that there was a plan last year that both Town Hall and Safety people supported but the BoS wouldn’t put it on the warrant. Willams left the meeting at this point to attend the BoS meeting.

            Kluk presented the plan she drew up that had room for Welfare and the PD cruiser in the existing station. The Forestry truck was also housed there, along with administration and an attached (by heated breezeway) 4-bay barn with decon, bathrooms, rescue storage and turnout. Atkins feels strongly that Rescue should be kept with Fire.

Crandall spoke about the Town Hall and what they would support. He suggested maybe doing a petition article. Terani said the town wanted to support Fire/Rescue last year but they couldn’t support the plan the BoS put forward.

            Kluk asked about the use of the existing building if we go with the one building plan. Moser said it would house all the storage from the Old Town Garage and PD. Kluk suggested also bringing Welfare over to the existing station.

            Dulac said the issues are the wetlands, he asked Schwartz to speak with Thayer about it. The other issues are ADA, cost for the project and warrant articles. Hunt suggested talking to Thayer about the feasibility of the groundwork, mitigation and getting a building on the site. Hunt spoke briefly about the history of the addition and the land in East Washington. He said in 1992 the priority and vision of the town was to replace the Center Station. He said you need to do a finished building for F/R, and if you add the Town Hall the town will support it. Hunt said we should spend efficiently and the Town needs a comprehensive vision for the buildings and the future. You need to do a community meeting to reach the public. Hunt suggested getting a preliminary plan for the wetlands and septic and meet with DES for an early OK.

            Dulac said we should try to get the price just under $3M and sell it. Atkins said that $30K would probably do the Schoolhouse foundation.

            We spoke briefly about where users would go while work was being done on the separate buildings and the sequencing of projects, this will have to be planned for.

            Crandall thanked the F/R members for meeting with us.

            Adjournment:   Time: 8:05 PM

             Respectfully Submitted,  

Nan Schwartz