Voters narrowly reject new police station in Farmington

FARMINGTON — Voters rejected the construction of a new police station Tuesday by a vote of 1,507 yes to 1,634 no.

The question will be on the Board of Selectmen's agenda for Nov. 10 to decide the next step, Town Manager Richard Davis said Tuesday. The board may decide to send it back to the space-needs committee, which was formed last year to study the Police Department's needs and to propose a solution.

Voters were asked to approve a capital improvement project for construction, engineering and design costs by appropriating $2.75 million for the project. With an estimated interest rate of 4.5 percent or $1.92 million in interest, the total project cost was estimated at $4,669,918.

It would have added about $50 to a tax bill for a $100,000 property, Davis said at a recent public hearing.

At the same time, Farmington taxpayers along with other towns in Mt. Blue Regional School District face potential increases for two school projects, a new elementary school in Farmington and a renovation and addition to Mt. Blue High School.

The police station proposal included building a 9,000-square-foot, one story office on land already owned by the town at High Street and Route 2.

The 14-member staff of the Farmington Police Department now works in a 1,575-square-foot space at the Municipal Building built in 1976 when the department had a three-member staff.

Several studies undertaken over the past 10 years have indicated more space is needed, especially for interview and evidence storage rooms along with office space, according to a study presented by Bunker & Savage Architects who were hired to prepare a proposal for the police space-needs committee formed by the town last year to study the situation.

abryant@sunjournal.com