Town may move fire, police departments

November 23rd, 2011, by Mike Eldred, Deerfield Valley News
WILMINTON, VT  Could Wilmington’s flooding disaster become an opportunity to improve town services? Selectboard members began exploring options for municipal and emergency services this week, as part of their post-Irene long-range planning process.

On Friday afternoon, board members held their first discussion on a report produced by their long-range planning committee. Among the topics the committee explored were several options for relocating the municipal offices, the Wilmington Police Department, and the Wilmington Fire Department.

Some of the ideas the board identified for further study include redevelopment or renovation of the current town garage site on Beaver Street as a combined police/fire department building, renovating the current town hall with all municipal offices and records upstairs and meeting or retail space on the first floor, and leasing facilities.

The board also discussed whether it would be possible to build any new facilities. Board member Meg Streeter questioned the wisdom of trying to build new facilities, noting that the new town highway department garage, which is currently under construction, was initially proposed nearly 17 years ago.

“We could never afford it,” added selectboard chair Tom Consolino. “Time is a factor,” said town manager Paul Myers.

But board members agreed that relocating the town’s emergency services out of the flood zone was preferable to the alternative – putting them back in the buildings that flooded in August.

Myers said the police department’s location at town hall was less than optimal. “Their cruisers are parked out on Main Street, there’s limited area to hold someone pending processing, and limited office space. They like this (former Rite Aid) space better than the town office space.”

“The committee felt that going back into that space wasn’t a good idea,” said economic development consultant Bill Colvin, who served on the committee. But Colvin noted that the committee felt the town should avoid a solution that would include a bond vote.

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