Town unveils further details on new emergency services, town hall complex

Sackville residents were given assurances once again last week they won't be faced with any surprise tax hikes as the town gets set to take on its largest-ever infrastructure project.
"There is no intention to raise taxes," said Sackville CAO Barry Carroll during a public forum at the civic centre last Wednesday evening in which the town officially unveiled its plans for a new $12-million facility that will house several municipal services under one roof.
Carroll stressed that, with proper financial planning and a partnership with the RCMP, the town will be able to secure a new state-of-the-art emergency services and town hall complex without adding to its debt load.
Andrew Amos, an engineering consultant with Celtic Consulting Management Ltd. who has been working with the town on this project for more than two years, said the town is benefiting enormously by partnering with the RCMP to construct this facility.
By sharing spaces and adding this partner, you're able to bring your costs down significantly," he said.
The RCMP, in its leasing agreement with the town, will pay for its share of the construction costs ($308,000 per year for 20 years) as well as annual maintenance and operational expenses for the new facility.
Both highway and municipal RCMP officers will be housed in the new building, as well as a new traffic division and investigative unit.
The town will also use $2.1 million from its gas tax revenues for the next five years, as well as money ($756,000) currently sitting in the town's capital-out-of-revenue fund. In 2010 and 2011, $300,000 will be taken out of the capital-out-of-revenue fund while in subsequent years, a maximum of $250,000 will be used out of the fund, which usually sits at nearly $1 million.
Construction is anticipated to begin on the new building next spring, which will see Sackville's police, fire and municipal staff merged into one facility.
Amos insisted that a new, shared facility is this community's best option for replacing the aging, inefficient and unsafe police and fire stations, as well as town hall.
"This is infrastructure that is way out of date . . . and there's no question that you have to replace the assets you have," he said.
Amos pointed out that the town's fire station is "unsuited for today's emergency response" and both police stations are "unsafe and not up to code." Town hall is also outdated and undersized, he said, and faces a number of building code violations.
Operating costs for the four facilities are "excessive," he said, and renovating or upgrading the buildings would be costly, if they could be upgraded at all.
The 3.2-acre property on which the new facility will sit is located on Main Street, across from Moneris Solutions in downtown Sackville.
Celtic Consulting has had an environmental assessment as well as a flood plain analysis conducted on the site to alleviate any concerns and Amos said the findings were positive.
"We're confident that we've achieved a safe site . . . and that we'll stay dry in the case of a flood," he said.
Amos did note, however, that truckloads of fill will need to be brought onto the site to raise up the property level prior to construction.
Carroll pointed out that members of the downtown revitalization committee have voiced their satisfaction over the location of the facility, saying that they believe it will have a positive effect by stretching the boundaries of the downtown.
"It will serve as an anchor on that end of town with Moneris and the hospital," he said.
But local resident Fred Anderson said he's not as confident as town officials about the site chosen for the proposed facility.
"My concern is about safety and about the environmental impact this building will have on the area that surrounds it," said Anderson during last week's forum.
He said with several schools, ball fields and a church in that section of town, he is worried about the safety of the children who will be walking by the building on a daily basis.
"I don't question that we need new facilities . . . but I do question your reasoning behind putting it at the bottom of a blind hill."
Anderson, a former town councillor, said he believes the town is creating a hazard by selecting the Main Street site and encouraged council to reconsider its decision.
"After 30 years of planning, it all goes out the window if we proceed with this," he said.
The building will be set back on the site over 60 feet as a safety measure, Amos explained, allowing fire and RCMP personnel to have a greater "view plane" before leaving the property. As well, flashing red light signs will be installed along Main Street to alert traffic that fire trucks are departing the site.
The new two-storey complex, at approximately 191 by 120 feet, will house the RCMP and fire personnel on the first floor and the town office staff on the second floor, which will be accessible via an elevator.
The RCMP area, which will be shared by the municipal and highway forces, will consist of offices, jail cells, storage space, a detainee area, a kitchen, a monitor room, exhibit and training rooms.
"It should run a lot more efficiently having both rural and municipal in one building, sharing services and resources," said Amos.
A central common area and a gymnasium will be shared by fire and RCMP officers, while the fire department side will consist of office and storage space, a kitchen, a meeting room, and, of course, the truck bays.
" . . . and we've sized the bays not just for the vehicles we have today, but to hold the vehicles we'll have in the future," said Amos.
The second floor will feature a public reception area that will lead to town staff offices and a state-of-the-art council chambers (that will double as a training/meeting space when needed).
A total of 66 parking spaces will be allocated; 40 parking spaces at the rear of the building for town staff and visitors; 13 at the side for fire department response; and 13 in front for RCMP.
A secondary emergency access road is being proposed for Dufferin Street but that is subject to change, said Amos.
Environmental features of the new facility will include ground source heat pumps, automatic dimmer light fixtures, infloor radiant heating, a heat wheel recovery unit, and possibly a rainwater cistern.
A request for proposals for the architecture and design work has been issued and will close on May 15, with reportedly 22 firms picking up the documents at town hall.
The town will also be looking to other funding sources to help with construction costs, including applying for funds under the federal Building Canada initiative, said Amos.
"If there is any money available, we're going to tap that," he said.
Mayor Pat Estabrooks agreed, saying the town will try and recoup some of its costs for the facility.
"And I hope if you have any questions or concerns after tonight, you will let us know," she said. "The time is now to talk about it, not after construction gets under way."