Building committee rejects hardware store
By Caitlyn Kelleher

The Public Safety Building Committee has decided against pursuing the Ashburnham Hardware/ True Value Store as a possible location for a public safety complex.

The committee voted 6-1 at their Sept. 19 meeting not to consider the Main Street store as a site. The vote came after a discussion in which it revealed that the design and detailed cost estimate would likely take six to eight weeks.

"We aren't against it but we don't think it is a good idea for the town right now," said Police Chief Loring Barrett.

Lincoln Stiles was the sole dissenting vote. He wanted to see the cost study and the design for the interior of the building.

Town Administrator Kevin Paicos and Ashburnham Hardware/ True Value Store owner Rich Wright agreed the town would pay $2.57 million for the building and the surrounding land if the committee decided to purchase the property. The price was determined after an assessment was done on the property.

The committee did not think that spending the money would be wise when it would cost about $1 million to add the apparatus bays and then about $500,000 to do the necessary site work.

"It is very doubtful that the hardware store would give us a substantial savings," said Al Rick- ehit.

The committee, architect Curtis Edgin and project manager David Lager agreed they would probably only be able to finish off a small amount of interior square footage because of the need to add elevators, cells and renovate ceilings and floors.

"So anyone working for the police or fire departments won't see it finished off," Barrett said.

The committee decided the cost estimate that Edgin presented on an approximately 21,000-square-foot building would come in at between $300,000 and $800,000 over budget. Edgin said it would be less expensive to use wood then a pre-engineered metal building.

"It looks like we may be able to achieve that," said Chris Gagnon, committee chairman. "There is a possibility that we could build this new building."

The committee voted to direct Edgin to begin to develop construction documents, which will allow them to go out to bid on the project. Rickehit was the sole opposing vote.

"There is still a lot that hasn't been answered," he said.

Rickehit expressed concern that Edgin would be returning with suggestions on alternates - design features that should or should not be included as extras and separate bid items.

The fire and police departments will be working together to determine their lists of "must haves" and Paicos will meet with the committee to discuss financing details.

"The fire and police departments work very well now together, we don't want to wreck that," said Fire Chief Paul Zbikowski.

Barrett agreed the departments should have most of the say about their facility.

"I can operate as a police department with one cell but I can't operate as a police department with one office," he said.

The committee's goal is to have the bid documents ready for review in February and March.

The committee is also trying to determine exact "soft" costs as well as fixture, furniture and equipment (FF&E) costs.

"You're still struggling with soft costs and FF&E," Lager said. "You aren't going to escape those two things in either choice."

The committee is still trying to build the building without going back to the voters for an increase in taxes.