RCL Discussion: Town Facilities Planning (Town Hall, etc..)

RCL Memo to BOS for Facilities Planning:  RCL Memo Facilities Master Planning 23 Sep 16 BOS

Updated RCL Facilities Information September 2016:  Town Hall Information for Facilities Planning September 2016

Transfer Station Concept Diagram:  Transfer Station Conceptual Site Plan 2014-12-30

BOS Design/Build Document from September 26, 2016 BOS meeting:  THspaceAnalysisForDesignBuild092616

SMP 2014 Existing Building Study:  SMP Exisiting Building Assessment January 2014

This text is to promote  discussion.   This is starting  information, please remember that opinions are “not right or wrong”, just opinions and information to get discussions going.  

RCL overview of information on our current buildings, space needs, past work, etc…  RCL Town Buildings Jan 3, 2016 Overview

Appraisal for 541 Washington Road:  Appraisal for 541 Washington Rd

Town Hall Committee only analyzed a few options for utilizing the space in the Public Safety Building:  Click Here for the justifications for dismissing the options they looked at.   See the presentation above for additional options.

The CIP is a”recommendations” list, not a Town Facilities planning document.

There have been several approved “Petitioned Warrant articles” to get the Town to plan better, but these get lip services at best.

The BOS has not , or can not, develop a forward looking and coordinated plan to manage the Town facility requirements.  We spent an extra $40,000 when we built the Safety Building to be used for future needs.  Now the Selectmen’s Town Hall Committee has decided that all Town Hall activities “must” be in one building and decided that the Safety Building is not an option. Rye Recreation has moved out, Sewer was told to move, and the “Town Hall Survey” was split over whether all functions needed to be in one building.

There is a very large Conference room in the Safety Building basement.  If the Fire Department moves from the Second Floor  to above the Apparatus Bay (what the $40,000 was for), there would be over 4,00o sq ft.  available.  So between the Safety Building and the current Town Hall foot print there is over 10,000 sq. feet available.  We also have the “old police station” lot that should either be sold or put into functioning use.  One resident suggested that if we build a Community Center at the Rye Recreation property, one of those modulars could be moved to that lot and used for the Planning Department.

Not counting what was spent on the Town Hall Survey and signs, we have already spent $350,000 on Town Hall.  The first investment concluded that the Town Hall building was structurally sound and was worth renovating.

Do you think that Town Hall office requirements should be addressed before a Community Building, or before we invest in improving the Transfer Station?

What can you do to help with this lack of facilities planning?