Brentwood committee advances RFQ for police station and town facilities; schedule, site and outreach discussed

A Brentwood Town facilities committee on an ongoing project confirmed that a request for qualifications (RFQ) posted April 1 seeks a vendor to produce planning-level designs, cost estimates and public materials for three procurement options: a stand‑alone police station, a police station with space reserved for future town functions, and a combined public safety/town-facility complex.

Committee member 1, committee member, summarized the RFQ and schedule, saying the document was posted on the town website and through the New Hampshire Municipal Association and that a nonmandatory information meeting is scheduled for a Friday at noon. "The deadline for the RFQs is April 30," Committee member 1 said. "Committee review, so we'll take a week once we get them all if we get any, to review them." The committee said submissions may be delivered by email or postal mail.

The RFQ requires qualifications rather than price proposals; the committee emphasized it expects firms to submit personnel and project resumes so the committee can select a team to develop feasible layouts and planning‑level budgets. "No. We're looking for qualifications of someone who's qualified enough to do the scope of work that we want done," Committee member 1 said. Committee members agreed that pricing and detailed cost estimates will follow after a vendor is selected.

Why this matters: the committee is preparing materials voters will see when asked to decide whether to fund new construction, renovation or a phased approach. Committee members repeatedly said obtaining realistic, locally relevant cost estimates and clear options is essential before presenting choices to voters.

Discussion and key points

- Site: Committee members identified the parcel adjacent to the recreation center and pavilion as the committee's preferred site. Committee member 1 said test pits conducted there showed a cooperative ledge condition and no apparent water‑table issues. The committee noted the town owns the site and that it would therefore be available without land acquisition costs.

- Vendor scope and RFQ content: Several members asked whether the RFQ's qualification‑only format and certain requested experience criteria (for example, firms that have worked on multiple municipal projects in the last five years) could limit responses. One committee member cautioned that the RFQ must make clear the specific deliverables (building sizes, rooms, site work) so firms can respond appropriately. Committee member 5 asked whether the RFQ would restrict smaller firms; committee members replied the intent is to find a firm able to provide an end‑to‑end plan, then refine scope and price with the selected team.

- Existing drawings and past consultant work: Committee members said earlier conceptual drawings from Weston & Sampson (referenced in the meeting) produced a high figure that surprised the community and that the RFQ is intended to produce clearer, locally tailored plans. Committee members said prior work will be used as a starting point but should not constrain the chosen vendor.

- Program size and future growth: Committee members discussed police staffing and future needs. The committee recorded that the police department currently has nine full‑time sworn officers and three part‑time officers; members suggested planning space sized for roughly 15 sworn officers as a reasonable future target while avoiding immediate over‑build.

- Construction standards and security: Members discussed building longevity and security standards (one comment described a goal of a "50‑year building") and noted the vendor should be familiar with relevant construction and safety codes; specific statutory or code references were not cited in the meeting.

Timeline, outreach and next steps

Committee members outlined an ideal schedule if the RFQ yields qualified respondents: a notice to proceed in June, a kickoff workshop in July, delivery of draft planning materials and then a public information session to present three options to the community. Committee member 1 said the goal is to get information to the public "as fast as possible" once credible plans are available.

The committee scheduled a site visit to a recently completed safety complex in Northampton (noted in the meeting as a combined police/fire/town complex that came in at about $10.8 million and roughly 26,000 square feet) for Thursday at 10 a.m.; the committee recommended coordinating with the Northampton staff and noted that public attendance should be limited unless and until the committee confirms that public participation is welcome. Committee members also set a follow‑up committee review in May and agreed to meet Tuesday, May 6, at the same midday time.

Votes and formal actions

The committee took one recorded, formal action at the start of the meeting to approve minutes from the prior meeting; the motion passed (vote recorded as "Aye"; full named tally not specified in the transcript).

Remaining issues and considerations

Committee members pressed for clarity in the RFQ deliverables so the vendor can produce planning‑level costs for separate and combined options, and they discussed how renovation of the existing town building would trigger full Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance (for example, the committee noted that making a two‑level existing building fully public would likely require an elevator). Members also asked that respondents disclose current workloads and availability so the town can choose a team that will be responsive.

Committee members repeatedly cautioned against allowing the previously circulated $28 million figure to frame public expectations; several members described that figure as misleading and said the RFQ process should produce more accurate, project‑specific cost estimates. "Forget about that number," Committee member 1 said in reference to the earlier figure.

The committee will review RFQ submissions after the April 30 deadline, may extend the deadline if responses are insufficient, and plans a public information session after vendor deliverables are ready.