Facilities study finds large space deficits; public works flagged as top near-term priority

Brent Green, principal and lead designer with Creech and Associates, told the council the facilities and space-needs assessment examined 19 departments across six facilities and projected a 77% increase in needed space over a 20-year horizon. He summarized deficits for specific facilities: town hall needs about 8,500 additional net usable square feet to meet the 20-year projection and the law enforcement center faces an estimated 11,362-square-foot deficit.

"We distilled the study into 6 locations," Brent said, and explained the work combined a space-needs assessment, a facility-condition assessment and a master-plan overlay. The consultant presented two solution options for each facility, a 10-year staggered timeline of priorities (with public works identified as the initial phase) and cost estimates; Brent said the two high-level options were roughly $3,000,000 apart in total cost.

Council members asked about the population inputs used for the growth projection and whether hybrid work assumptions affected space calculations. Brent said the team used multiple growth metrics and the town's own projections and that the study's models assume staff are in-office (remote-work assumptions would change space needs only if adopted as a committed policy).

Why it matters: the study sets a planning baseline for capital investment and prioritization. Identified deficits for public works, the law enforcement center and town hall will shape future budgeting and bond or grant discussions. Staff said the report can be used to phase projects and inform the town's capital-improvement planning.