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Atkinson committee narrows police station options after site walkthroughs
Summary
The Police Station Location Committee completed site visits to four candidate parcels on April 22, 2025, finding one town-owned lot unsuitable and identifying two town-owned parcels (including a 4-acre outskirts site) as viable while noting a centrally located privately owned parcel would raise acquisition costs.
The Police Station Location Committee completed walkthroughs of four candidate sites for a new Atkinson police station on April 22, 2025 and identified likely and unlikely options for the project.
The committee — whose members present included Brian Boyle (Chair), Phil Busby, Charlie George, Lenny Hall, and Selectmen’s representatives Wendy Barker and Greg Spero — met at 5:30 p.m. and conducted visual assessments and preliminary evaluations of Locations A, B, C and D.
Location A, a town-owned parcel, was judged to have adequate space for a police station after a site evaluation and preliminary plans prepared by committee member Phil Busby, the committee said. Location D, another town-owned parcel of roughly four acres on the outskirts of town, was identified as a viable option that could also accommodate a more efficient Department of Public Works garage and a salt/sand shed if needed.
By contrast, the committee concluded that town-owned Location B would not be suitable for a new police station. The committee cited higher traffic and related safety concerns, the predominantly residential character of the area, expensive excavation due to bedrock that limits the building footprint, and its proximity to the center of town as reasons to eliminate the parcel from consideration.
Location C is not town-owned. Committee members noted the parcel’s central location is attractive but that acquiring the property from the current owners would add significant cost to the project and could affect feasibility.
On routine business, Lenny Hall moved to accept the April 15, 2025 minutes as written; the motion was seconded by Greg Spero and passed unanimously, 6-0-0. The committee reported that a public posting on April 2 asking residents to offer property for sale produced no responses.
The committee affirmed prior determinations by a former committee that had previously eliminated other town-owned properties from consideration. The committee scheduled its next meeting for May 6, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. and adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
The committee will continue to evaluate the cost implications of acquiring privately owned Location C and will refine feasibility assessments for the town-owned sites at upcoming meetings.
