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Committee says needs assessment and conceptual design are prerequisites for grant funding
Summary
Committee members emphasized conducting a needs assessment and producing a conceptual design (and securing a site) before seeking federal or state grants, and set an internal target to have those elements ready by October to improve funding prospects.
Town officials told the Public Safety Building Committee that a formal needs assessment and a conceptual design are needed to finalize building size and features before a public vote and to support grant applications. John Hayden and Select Board Representative Hoby Harmon emphasized that the needs assessment will shape the project's scope and the likelihood of voter approval.
Police Chief Wayne Young and Hoby Harmon said federal and state grant programs typically require a conceptual design and evidence of a site before applying; the committee therefore discussed aiming to have those elements in place by October to maximize funding opportunities. Committee members also discussed how firms produce preliminary cost estimates — typically by square footage and regional cost data — and the value of a phased approach: needs assessment and conceptual design first, then a town vote, followed by detailed design and construction if approved.
