FARMINGTON — Selectmen agreed Tuesday to go “back to the drawing board,” sending plans for a new police station back to architects for a modified, less expensive version. They voted unanimously to spend another $4,000 for the architectural work.

After receiving public input as to why voters rejected construction of the proposed police station in November, Town Manager Richard Davis told the board that he and Police Chief Richard Caton met with the architects and discussed four or five themes that seemed prevalent.

The size of the proposed building and the cost along with concerns about a proposed weight room and conference room were frequently mentioned, he said. A secondary theme seemed to suggest the plan was “a little too fancy,” he said.

The proposal would have built a 9,000-square-foot, one-story building at the intersection of High Street and Route 2 on town-owned property at a cost of $2.75 million plus interest.

The architects were asked to cut the square footage of the plan, eliminate the weight room and consider vinyl siding rather than brick veneer siding, Caton said.

Although he agreed to cut the weight room, which he previously had said officers need to relieve the stress of their jobs, he continued to support the need for a conference room. Although there are other rooms in town, they are not always available for a week or two at a time as needed for officer training and the cost can quickly add up when paying $25 an hour for the room for an 80-hour training session. The room would also be available for other town meetings, he said.

Caton felt the economy and the timing with Farmington taxpayers facing additional taxes from two school projects, Mallet and Mt. Blue High School, were factors but maybe the biggest — some people just didn’t like the location, he said.

Although a police space needs committee was formed prior to the downturn of the economy, the panel studied the potential for leasing properties such as the former Rite-Aid and found them to need extensive renovation. If the town leases property, there’s nothing to show in 20-years and that’s not the best value for taxpayers, he said.

Selectmen also had heard concerns about the timing, economy and cost.

Selectman Jon Bubier said he had been asked “why such a large building?” The police department is currently working in a cramped 1,500-square-foot space, but why does it have to go to 9,000 feet, why not 4,500 feet? he asked.

When the space needs committee formed, it was charged with making a plan that would last 20-30 years, Caton said.

Although the building size may be reduced, he felt the plan should still include room for expansion.

The board agreed that a new plan was needed before sending the question back to voters in a June or November 2010 referendum.

To send the same plan back to voters without changes is “disrespectful and not the right thing to do,” Bubier said.

The funds to pay the $4,000 are available or the board could wait till the first of the year and include it in the 2010 budget, Davis said.

The board moved to spend no more than the $4,000 with Bunker and Savage Architects.

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