Public Safety Building Committee sets Oct. 2 open house, outlines outreach and timeline for 48 Gardner Road project

The Public Safety Building Committee on Tuesday agreed to use the Taste of Hubbard's Inn event on Oct. 2 as a public kickoff and open house for the proposed public safety building at 48 Gardner Road and laid out a yearlong outreach schedule running through next year's town election. Committee members also discussed signage, site layout, accessibility and how the group will collect public questions.

Committee Chair Carrie said she prepared a draft outreach calendar that runs from the Oct. 2 community event through the town vote next year and includes a planned website launch and an Oct. 25 kickoff. "I set it up so that it ran from the Taste of Hubbard's Inn event on October 2 through the town election that we would need next year," Carrie said during the meeting.

Why it matters: The committee is seeking to gather public input before presenting a near-final plan and a funding question to voters. The outreach plan emphasizes an early, visible presence at a town event, a central website, and a single FAQ/script to keep volunteer spokespeople consistent.

Key outreach items and assignments: The committee expects to staff a station at the Oct. 2 event, handing out fact sheets and answering questions from attendees. Patricia (town staff) will manage the town's role at the event; Trisha (town staff) is preparing the fact sheet and FAQ that the committee will use so volunteers do not give conflicting answers. The group agreed to use QR codes at the event for attendees to submit questions that will be centralized and routed for answers.

Committee members named roles for preparation: Mike Stahl, a committee member, urged the group to be prepared to explain tradeoffs such as cost and long-term maintenance when discussing design choices. Nate and Mike agreed to work on the project website; Nate said he will provide a draft website to Mike within seven days. Committee members will meet at 4 p.m. Oct. 2 to set up the event.

Site, sign and traffic discussion: Members discussed the existing traffic island and the building sign. The committee decided to keep the sign roughly in place, shrink the island rather than move it because of wetlands, underground utilities and the complexity of relocating the culvert. Jim Dixon and Travis (public works/contractor references) will handle the culvert work related to sign improvements. The committee discussed adding bollards to protect the sign but did not make a final installation decision.

Accessibility and building layout: Members discussed ADA access for the open house and for the facility design. The committee was advised not to use an uncertified lift for public access; instead, accessibility for the Oct. 2 open house will be limited to the first floor and staff will assist visitors as needed. Chair Carrie said final plans will involve Mel, the chiefs and town staff to ensure compliance. The meeting included an exchange noting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a governing requirement for accessibility planning.

Design and schedule: Architect Dror (consultant) and another consultant referenced as Drawer joined the meeting by phone to answer questions about layout and window placement. Dror told the committee he would produce schematic options for review; cost comparisons for options will follow once schematic plans are complete and trade bids are assembled. The committee set an outline timetable: a kickoff (phase 1), monthly forums through winter (phase 2) and a target to have close-to-final layouts in January for public review.

Event details and materials: The committee discussed practical exhibit ideas for Oct. 2: taped-off mockups to show added square footage, renderings, and a TV-based 3-D walkthrough by the designer. Monty Tech (vocational school) was asked about simple foam or fabric models; members concluded a printed or digital model on-site is feasible but a 3-D-printed physical model would take months. Landscaping help and decorations are being coordinated with Quavin and Red Apple Farm.

Next steps and meeting schedule: The committee favored a short dry run on Oct. 1 to review handouts and FAQs, a public kickoff on Oct. 2, and a formal committee meeting after the open house to review public feedback. The group discussed pausing meetings over the heavy-holiday weeks (November–December) and resuming focused work in January. Chair Carrie will finalize the outreach materials and the draft website, and committee members will review and return comments ahead of the open house.

Quotes from the meeting illustrate the group's approach to public outreach and design tradeoffs. Nate said, "It is finally time for us to start talking about what the actual working part of this and seeking funding is going to look like." Mike Stahl advised the committee to be ready to explain cost and energy tradeoffs, saying, "Be prepared to answer whether or not it's a significant cost difference. No numbers, just a feel so we know what the impact of an option is." Dror, the project consultant, said schematic plans will be presented first: "We're just gonna throw something on a piece of paper and have you take a look at it and then go back to the existing conditions."

The committee adjourned after confirming the Oct. 1 dry run and the Oct. 2 public kickoff; a formal follow-up meeting will be scheduled after the open house to consider public input and the next steps toward a town presentation and vote.