Conference 7.286::maynard

    I AM ALSO AGAINST THE NEW LOCATION OF THE MAYNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT
    AND LIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE COOLIDGE SCHOOL AREA.  THE CONSTANT
    FLOW OF VEHICLES AROUND THE AREA WOULD NOT GIVE ME A COMFORTABLE
    FEELING WHEN I LET MY 8 YEAR OLD WALK TO THE PLAYGROUND
    BY HERSELF.    
    
    I WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK ON SOME KIND OF COMMITTEE TO SEE THAT
    THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN - 
    
    I THINK YOUR IDEA OF LOCATING THE STATION AT THE OLD LIBRARY IS
    A GOOD ONE.  THE PARKING ISSUE MAKES BE BELIEVE THAT HALF OF 
    THE SCHOOL YARD WILL BE USED FOR JUST THIS.
    
    PLEASE KEEP US POSTED AS TO WHEN THE TOWN MEETING WILL BE HELD AND
    IF ANY HELP IS NEEDED - BRIGIT 
   

    
    1. Remember Maynard is not that big a town, so anywhere is most
       likely to be central.
    
    2. The move is definitely needed and overdue, the Boy's Club should
       have been the Public Safety Building, and I think the Roosevelt
       School would have been the better choice (right downtown).
    
    3. My pet peeve now:  "Not in my neighborhood", I hate when people
       complain about not having mental health homes, prison, dumps,
       etc.... no they're not nice, but its gotta go somewhere.....
                        
    4. I think all points of view should be expressed, all avenues
       investigated, and then a decision made (the best one based
       on all input), but lets not drag out something all ready 
       10 years overdue.
    
    5. Good luck, just my opinion, I don't think Coolidge is an
       optimum location either..
                                         Mark
    

    Some comments:
    
    	Some years back (1983?) there was discussion of a move of the
    fire & police departments.  At that time, some federal money was
    said to be _not_ available for the project.  There was a "guideline
    that the money was only available for putting fire, police _and_
    town government in the same "place".   The theory was that emergency
    situations would be better handled with everything together.
    
    	I don't think Maynard PD generates that much traffic between
    midnight & 6 am.
    
    thanks
    dave pierson
    (Prospect St...)

>    An alternative that comes to mind, and one that was likely evaluated by 
>    the study, is locating the police department in the library space in 
>    town building.

You mention the present library space as a viable alternative to the Coolidge
School as a location for a new police station.  You say this location "was
likely evaluated", but apparently the editorial didn't mention this, and if
it didn't, why not?

Was it or was it not evaluated?  If so, what was the outcome?

Kip (Who_doesn't_live_in_Maynard_but_spends_~1/3_of_his_life_here)

    Last night, I (along with several neighbors) attended a selectmen's 
    meeting in which Preservation Partnership (the consulting firm that 
    did the space study) presented revised floor plans for the Coolidge 
    school, the Roosevelt school, the town building, and the fire/police 
    station.  
    
    I had an opportunuty to ask many questions about the plans, and
    what had led up to the decision to choose this alternative over
    others.  I was under the impression (as was selectman Bill King)
    that several options were to be presented to the town.  Apparently,
    the consultant had ruled out other options as unacceptable.  I asked
    to see the report detailing their analysis of these options, and
    was told that there was no report, only a list of reasons why the
    options were ruled out.  I asked to see at next meeting (May 10,
    7:00 in town building) a listing of pros and cons of all options,
    including the proposed solution. 
    
    I was surprised to learn that the "study" consisted primarily of
    interviews with town department heads -- police chief, fire chief,
    librarian, school superintendent.  I haven't yet seen the completed
    questionnaires, but from what was said at this meeting, I got the
    impression that these department heads told the consultant what
    they felt their space needs were -- sort of a wish list. 
                                       
    The consultant took these requests, and fit them into the existing
    buildings.  Let's take a look at what the police department will
    get.                               
                                       
    The police department currently has 3,400 sq. ft. of space.  The
    building they'll be moving into has 14,850 sq. ft., and they plan
    to add a 1,500 sq foot garage on two levels.  The net result is
    a near five-fold increase in space. It's amazing how a town department
    can grow, if space is available.  To me this seems like an extravagant
    use of space.                      
                                       
    For example, there will be a 78 x 15 pistol firing range, 24 x 8
    meter repair area (for the parking meters that are "always breaking"),
    large office spaces for the chief, lieutenants, and sergeants, a
    classroom that can accomodate police from surrounding towns, and
    other spaces that seem larger than their intended use would dictate.
                                                            
    I visited, and obtained information on public buildings in surrounding
    towns.  In Acton -- a town with twice the population of Maynard,
    and several times the area -- the police department has 4,600 sq.
    ft. The sergeant I spoke with (Tom Rogers) gave me a tour of the 
    facility. He seemed proud of it, and indicated that it met their 
    needs, but in the future, they'd like to expand the facility, to
    add evidence storage space, more cells, and allow for growth of
    the force.  Acton's police force has 29 men; Maynard's has 22 men. 
    Why does the smaller Maynard force need three times the space that 
    Acton's larger force finds adequate for current needs?  Even allowing
    for growth due to an increase in town population (and Maynard doesn't 
    have much buildable space left for growing) the proposed space far
    exceeds projected needs.                                         
                            
    One of the things that Tom Rogers mentioned was that, a few years 
    back, Acton closed the pistol range (which was in the basement) due to
    lead problems and OSHA. The Acton force now does their required
    shooting at the Maynard Rod and Gun Club -- for free. This is what
    the Maynard police force is currently doing.            
                                                            
    To meet OSHA safety requirements for the pistol range proposed for
    the Coolidge school, powerful ventilation is needed, and must be
    on when the range is being used.  The vents to the outside would be 
    in four basement windows along the front of the school.  Houses
    are directly across the street.  	                                                         
                                    
    When I spoke with Tom Charter of Acton's Building and Grounds dept,
    he said that when he was a dispatcher for the police, he remembered
    that the pistol range (which had baffles, soundproofing, and little
    ventilation) could be heard from the street.  I worry that the Coolidge
    school's firing range -- with much more ventilation -- will be very
    audible on the street and in neighbors houses (in the summer time,
    for example). 
                
    I also worry about having criminals -- released from the six cells
    that would be in the building -- wandering around the neighborhood
    and the adjacent playground.  Very often these people are belligerent,
    and both the Acton and Littleton police I spoke with mentioned that
    there have been fights in the parking lot.  The Littleton Officer
    I spoke with mentioned an incident in which 40 youths came from
    a party to the police station, and threatened to storm the station
    to get two of their arrested friends.  These and other security
    concerns dictate that police stations be fortress-like. That's why 
    the Coolidge school's relatively new thermopane windows
    will be replaced with shatterproof windows -- at a cost of $20,000.
                                     
    	     
    Now, I know a lot of this sounds like a "not in my front yard" issue.
    But I believe it's a bigger issue, mostly pertaining to the
    appropriateness of the proposed police station site -- it's too big, 
    doesn't offer easy access (both ends of Elmwood street have egress 
    problems).
    
    I have more to add to this, but no time. If anyone has strong feelings
    about this issue, please attend the public hearing on May 10 at
    7:00 pm in town building. 
    
    Thanks for listening.
    
    Joe
                                           
                                     
                                     
     
    
    is and came up with a floor     
     
     

re: .5
>    I also worry about having criminals -- released from the six cells
>    that would be in the building -- wandering around the neighborhood
>    and the adjacent playground.  Very often these people are belligerent,
>    and both the Acton and Littleton police I spoke with mentioned that
>    there have been fights in the parking lot.

Not to worry.  That's why Maynard's Finest carry fully-equipped "Easy Rider
Racks" behind the front seat of their cruisers.  Gimme a break.  (Not you -
them.)

>                                            These and other security
>    concerns dictate that police stations be fortress-like. That's why 
>    the Coolidge school's relatively new thermopane windows
>    will be replaced with shatterproof windows -- at a cost of $20,000.
                                     
Which section of Maynard is this?  The South Bronx??

Maybe because there are thousands of DECcies in town Monday thru Friday they
(police) feel a genuine need to really buckle down on parking violations and
an ocassional red light-runner, hence the justification for all that neat cop
equipment.  Does Maynard "feel" any safer during weekends?

Kip

    re .6

    (Flame on)
	Cops get shot _every day_, in the line of duty.
          Maynard PD has been Shot_at.  Those guns aren't for
    show, they aren't for anything except need.  The job of being
    a cop is _dangerous_.  To the best of my knowledge, Maynard PD
    has never initiated a shooting incident.
    
    (alright, flame off)

    In a highly mobile society, anybody, from anywhere, can show up
    anywhere else.  By observation (of the real world, not Miami_Vice),
    some portion of those "anybody's" are violent, agressive criminals,
    I, for one, think Maynard PD (and "anytown" PD) should have the
    equipment to deal with the situation.
    
    No amount of "gun control" will affect this, since the "problem"
    is people who are criminals anyway.  They will simply ignore
    _any_ laws.
    
    (What has this to do with the new PD location?  precious little...)
    
    thanks
    dave pierson
	(who feels quite safe in Maynard all the time, and is not
    	bothered at all by a well armed PD.)
    

    Re: .7
    
    I know this is off the topic, but.. "hear hear"!
    
    If you don't live in this town, try reading the local newspaper
    once in awhile.  There is plenty of activity in this town besides
    parking violations. [There was a shooting incident less than a year
    ago, no?]
    
    The impression I get reading the "police beat" sections is that
    many disturbances are caused by non-Maynard residents - like .7
    says: people/thugs/jerks come in from everywhere.
    
    Domestic disturbances and intoxicated jerks running around can be
    VERY dangerous at times (I recall reading that police officers
    almost prefer criminal situations over domestic calls, they generally
    know what they are in for when someone is robbing a store).  While I'm 
    not sure that the MPD station has to be a fortress, I can see 
    where a situation like the one in Littleton could occur.
    
    Back to our program,
    
    - dave 

i
    I went to the meeting that Joe Deramo has described and I want to
    support his position. I have lived close to the Coolidge school
    and still own property in the neighborhood. The building is located
    approximately 30 feet from a four family house and is surrounded
    by other homes, as well as one of Maynard's only playgrounds.
    
    The proposal has some obvious flaws.
    
    1. There is another empty school downtown located on a main street.
    The Coolidge school location takes the police presence completely
    out of the downtown area where it belongs.
    
    2. The police would have to travel along at least two side streets
    before they reach a main street. This lengthens response time and
    adds to neighborhood traffic.
    
    3. A pistol range would be located next to a playground. There is
    another range less than a mile away.
    
    4. The lead fumes from this pistol range would be vented into the
    playground. 
    
    5. Drunks, criminals, and associated people would be released directly
    into the neighborhood at all hours. The quality of neighborhood
    life would suffer, especially nights and weekends.
    
    6. The town wants people to vote on this proposal without adequate
    notice - less than 1 month.
    
    As long as there is an alternative, this proposal should be defeated.
    
    I would like to offer as an alternative the following scenario:
    
    1. The school department is currently located in the Coolidge school.
    Why not keep them there and move the library there as well? The
    two uses are complementary and fit well into a neighborhood setting.
    
    2. Move the police into the Roosevelt school which is centrally
    located downtown.
    
    
    I would like to ask the Maynard residents who read this to get involved
    and voice their ideas. The current proposal is well-meant, but needs
    the participation of more people to make it a workable solution.

    Having contributed some "heat", let me try some "light".
    
    From what I have heard here and elsewhere, it sounds like
    alternate approaches deserve a look.  Fine.  _write_ the
    selectmen, the papers, campaign with your neighbors.
    
    (re -.1  I suspect it is lead "dust" or particulates, rather than
    "fumes".  Detail accuracy improves the persuasive power...)

    thanks
    dave pierson

I do not understand why we are considering building a firing range, 
including the walls, ventilation, etc, for $xx,xxx.00 when the police 
can go to the rod and gun and shoot for free.  

There is the issue of 'where to put the police', but then there is the 
seperate issue of 'what facilities are we talking about creating'.  I 
think the second question has to be settled before the first can be 
addressed (only then do we really know the requirements).

Is it cast in stone that this firing range, etc is going to exist?  Is 
where to put it the only question left?

    Nothing is cast in stone -- yet. The town needs to vote on the proposed
    department moves at town meeting on May 16. The total cost of the
    renovations and some new construction (for example, a two-level
    garage attached to the new police building) will be $4.3 million.
    This is a *big* project for the town, and one which would require
    a proposition 2 1/2 override. (Read: higher taxes)                 
                                                  
    The proponents of the proposal are pushing this hard because state
    money *may* be available to cover up to 75 percent of the costs
    of the project. The money is only available this year. However, the 
    town needs to approve the project and the override *before* it can 
    apply for state funds.  In other words, the town is taking a chance 
    in approving this. Even with the maximum state funding, the town
    will still need to issue a $1.1 million bond, and add that to our debt
    burden. The town already spends about 11.5 percent of it's total
    budget to service other debts. This new bond would likely add a
    couple of percentage points to that.  I don't even want to think
    about the debt the town would incur if we fail to get state funds,
    or get only a small amount.         
                                                  
    But again, nothing is cast in stone. If enough town residents attack
    the wisdom of this move -- having an overly well outfitted, oversized
    police station that is not even downtown (how many people know where
    the Coolidge School is located?) -- then we have a good chance of
    defeating the proposal, and working toward something that makes more
    sense for the town. The firing range may just have to go. 
                                                        
    Many of the people I've spoken with were surprised at the proposal
    to locate the police station in the Coolidge School. The first comment
    was often "Why not put it downtown in the Roosevelt School." That
    would be the logical choice, but unfortunately, town politics may
    have played a part in ruling out that option.  
              
    You see, the school department owns the Roosevelt school, and they feel
    a strong sense of ownership toward it. (Read: turf issue.)  I got this
    impression at the first meeting of a committee set up to look at the
    Roosevelt School re-use. (This was just when the school was made excess
    by the Green Meadow school expansion. I was never made aware of
    subsequent meetings, even though I requested that.) 
              
    The Coolidge School belongs to the town, and locating the police
    department there seems to be the path of least resistance.  And that's
    the path the town is taking -- even though it's not the best choice for
    the town.                             
               
    Attending the public hearing on May 10th and voting at town meeting
    may help prevent the passage of this unwise, questionably motivated
    proposal. 
    
    More later, 
               
    Joe D'Eramo                                           
                                           
                                           
                                           

So, what was the result of the town meeting?  (and how long was this
issue on the floor, out of curiosity?).

Jill

    On September 20 in Town Building, there will be a public hearing
    regarding the revised plans for relocating town departments. Based on
    what I've heard, the new plans will place the police department in the
    Roosevelt School, and the library and school departments in the
    Coolidge School.  The fire station will expand into the space vacated
    by the current police station; town departments and meeting space will
    occupy the present library. 
                                                               
    If you read earlier notes in this topic, you'll see that there was
    much controversy surrounding earlier plans for relocating town
    departments.  The major problem was with putting the police department
    in the Coolidge School -- at the heart of a residential neighborhood,
    and adjacent to a playground.  Vocal opposition at a public hearing
    forced selectmen to request revised plans.                 
                                                               
    I believe the revised plans that will be presented at the hearing on
    the 20th offer the best solution for town departments and residents.
    However, I've learned that a member of the library's board of trustees
    is opposed to the plan. He feels that the hill on which the Coolidge
    School is located is too difficult for the town's senior citizens to
    negotiate.  He also feels that the library would lose foot traffic, as
    compared to it's present location on upper Main Street. 
                                                               
    As for the hill, the solution is to put the Coolidge School on the
    senior van route.                                          
                                                               
    As for foot traffic, the Coolidge school location may even *gain*
    foot traffic, being at the heart of, rather than at the edge of,
    a densely populated neighborhood.  Also, being next to the playground
    may even encourage children -- and parents -- to make better use
    of the library facilities.  In any case, the Coolidge school and
    the present library are nearly equidistant from the center of the
    business district (corner of Main and Nason). By no means is the
    Coolidge School in a remote location.                      
                                                               
    When I have details on the exact time of the public hearing, I'll post
    it here. This hearing will very likely influence what plans are
    submitted to the town for vote (in November, I believe). A proposition
    2 1/2 override will be needed to fund the moves and renovations, but a
    significant percentage of the costs can be reimbursed by the state. The
    move should meet the *long term* needs of town departments, and
    make efficient use of town buildings. I believe it would be a good
    investment for the town.                                   
                                                               
    I encourage all concerned residents to attend the hearing. 
                            
                     
    
    

    The public hearing on the proposal to move town departments is tonight,
    Tuesday Sept. 20th, 7:30 at town building.  Read earlier notes in
    this topic to learn what's led up to the hearing.