Town approves $400,000 for police station preliminary design and clears site transfer at Ted Williams Camp

Article 22: By a two‑thirds vote, town meeting authorized up to $400,000 to pay preliminary design costs for a proposed new police station (architects, engineers, project manager and related professional services). Selectman Aaron Burke and the police‑station design review committee presented the need for design funds and said the appropriation would produce a firm design the town could later vote on for construction borrowing. The finance committee recommended approval. The moderator conducted a counted vote after several voters voiced opposition, and the moderator declared the article passed by the required two‑thirds.

Article 23: Town meeting approved transfer of care, custody and management of a roughly three‑acre parcel of Ted Williams Camp (28 Precinct St., assessor map 027/002/028, shown on a plan on file with the town clerk) to enable location of a police station there; the article also authorizes the Board of Selectmen to petition the Legislature under Article 97 if necessary. The vote passed by the necessary two‑thirds, as counted by the tellers.

Article 24: Town meeting authorized transfer of care, custody and control of the parcel at 239 Main Street (assessor map 007/002/006) — the assessor’s building property — from the Board of Selectmen for library purposes to Board of Selectmen for general municipal purposes and for conveyance; the selectmen were authorized to convey the property on terms they determine are in the town’s best interest. The finance committee endorsed the measure and the article passed with the two‑thirds count required for dispositions and conveyances.

Key details and context: The $400,000 design appropriation is intended to fund design work to a level that will allow a future borrowing decision on the full construction cost. During floor discussion selectmen noted earlier budget planning had assumed different delivery methods (modular vs. stick‑built) and that total project cost could range substantially based on final design and procurement (the board cited estimates up to $6 million as a potential construction figure to be resolved later). The parcel identified at Ted Williams Camp was described on a plan included with meeting materials (the site ‘red rectangle’); the selectmen said the site is adjacent to the Lakeville Tennis Club and the camp entrance off Route 18/Bedford Street.

Ending: With the design appropriation and site control authorized, town staff and the selectmen expected to continue the design and permitting process and to present a construction plan and financing proposal for a future town vote.