Committee reviews site plans for 9,000 sq ft municipal building, weighs moving DPW to Industrial Way

The Town of Atkinson Police Station Location Committee reviewed site plans on Sept. 2 for a proposed 9,000-square-foot municipal building to be constructed behind the Atkinson Fire Station at 1 Academy Avenue.

Chair Brian Boyle opened the meeting and turned the presentation over to Steve Keach, the town engineer, who used existing drawings from his original fire-house design to show options for siting the new municipal building and answered committee questions. The committee considered how the new building would fit behind the fire station and discussed possible configurations and access.

The conversation then moved to the Department of Public Works facilities. The committee discussed relocating the DPW garage, salt barn and potentially the brush dump to the Industrial Way property, which the committee noted is town-owned and, according to the minutes, had an Environmental Protection Agency inspection with no findings. Committee members identified Industrial Way as having sufficient space for a garage and salt shed and said moving DPW operations could free space at the current site for recreation uses.

As a next step, the committee agreed to prepare a presentation for the Board of Selectmen, aiming for a Board meeting in early October. If the Board gives approval to proceed, the committee outlined that it would develop a marketing plan, post plans and presentation materials to the town website and town buildings, and move into building planning and funding stages.

The committee scheduled its next meeting for Sept. 16, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in Town Hall and adjourned at 6:45 p.m.