- Standing water in the basement, remove it.
- Cannot see personnel when entering the foyer, no signage or direction.
- Remove carpeting; it is filthy, fraying and harbors a mold scent.
- Remove and clean the air conditioners, they harbor mold.
- Abate the bee infestation in second-floor.
- Install smoke detectors and batteries.
- Exposed wiring and missing fixtures on the side of the building.
- Exposed wiring at front door sign
- Repair plumbing in ladies room
- Cracked cinderblocks above doorway in garage
- Repair/replace stairway to second floor.
- Replace stairway from basement.
- 79 percent of those who answered indicated that the fire, police and DPW need to be repaired. In the comments, it was clear that people recognized the need and wanted the project scaled down.
- 54 percent of those who answered would support a new police station located on West Main Street. In a review of the comments, many would like to see the police project cost scaled down. Further, many expressed that the police should be a priority.
- The building continues to sink differentially as evidenced by numerous cracks in the walls and floors.
- The building’s exterior needs to be repointed and sealed as water continues to make its way into the building.
- The lobby is small, has limited seating (one chair) and is not welcoming or efficient to the community.
- Dispatch is undersized and inadequate for our community.
- The administrative assistant’s office is a small shared space with no privacy. People entering the police station walk through this space. When my administrator is working she deals with constant interruption. Additionally, if speaking to residents about concerns, they can be heard in the lobby and dispatch. There is no privacy for sensitive conversations.
- The bathrooms on the first floor are in dire need of a complete renovation. I am concerned about a future plumbing failure.
- The open space between dispatch and the Chief’s office functions as our squad room. The space is inadequate and crowded.
- The Chief’s office is shared between all police officers and functions as a report writing area, an interview room, interrogation room, evidence processing area and juvenile booking area. This space offers no privacy for confidential or sensitive conversations.
- The booking room is unsafe and undersized. It includes the building’s electrical service and electrical panels. The booking room also serves as a report writing area and evidence processing area. If you would like a firearms permit, these transactions are completed in the booking room.
- The cells fail Department of Public Health inspections every year and need continual maintenance. Plumbing maintenance is difficult as the access is behind a heavy steel plate that is bolted to the wall. The plumbing fixtures and beds in every cell (four) need replacement and/or repair. Cost estimates to repair or replace the cells is approximately $12,000.
- There is no sally port for safe and secure prisoner transport from the cruiser to the station.
- The stairs leading to the second floor office area are out of code as the rise is taller that what is allowed. The upstairs functions as desk space for full-time officers and a shared locker room.
- The stairs leading to the basement are rotted. I fell down the stairs in February 2018 as I was checking on an audible pump alarm in the basement. The stair treads gave way because the hardware had rotted over the years.
- The mechanical room is small, the heating and hot water system are difficult to maintain because there is not a lot of room to work. Mechanical systems are at the end of their life.
- The janitor’s closet is small. In addition to cleaning supplies, the closet contains required prisoner supplies because there is no room for these items in the booking room.
- The garage is used as our records room, locker room, storage space and armory.
- The 911 equipment room is off the garage and houses the 911 equipment, radio and department computer server.
- The evidence room is off the garage and is undersized and inadequate.
- We lease a shipping container for storage of training equipment and police bicycles.
- We do not have an interview room, proper locker or shower facilities for our employees.
- It will cost approximately $50 dollars for every $100,000 dollars of assessed home value.
- So, if your home is assessed at $250,000 then you can expect a tax increase of approximately $125. per year to cover the cost of a new police station. (2.5 x $50 = $125.00).
- Or, $31.25 per quarter.
- Or, $10.42 per month.
- Or, $2.39 per week.
- The average home in Merrimac is assessed at $390,200.
- The increase in taxes for the average home in Merrimac per year is $209.84
- Or, $52.46 per quarter.
- Or, $17.49 per month.
- Or, $4.02 per week.