POLICE STATION BUILDING COMMITTEE MINUTES

August 18, 2025

Steve Dalessio called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm in the Selectboard office. Present were Jay Punt, Trevor MacLachan, Cheri Watson, Dave Adams, Zoom and Peggy Pschirrer.  Absent were Chief Justin Sanctuary and Andrew Dey.

Mr. Dalessio reviewed the timeline for the Police Building Project.  An RFP for construction drawings will be completed by September 15, 2025, with bids expected by November 27, 2025. Funds of $475,000 must be raised to pay for drawings and initiate Phase I for preconstruction drawings. Both Mr. MacLachlan and Mr. Dalessio believe this timeline to be realistic.  

Mr. Adams asked where the funds would be held once they were raised.  Any funds raised would probably be held in the Town PDIP account. 

The Committee discussed how we want to raise money.  We won’t know until March 2026 whether our grant application for federal funding will be granted. Ms. Pschirrer offered to draft a fund-raising letter and Ms. Watson also agreed to help with letter writing.  Gifts to the Town of Walpole are tax deductible.  We should have a QR code with links to the bank.

A Public Information Meeting will be held September 15, 2025, in Town Hall to discuss the changes to the original drawings for the Police Station which have reduced the cost to approximately 5 million dollars. Mr. Petrovick, the architect of those schematic drawings, will be asked to attend the meeting. A notice will be posted in the September CLARION.

The Committee agreed that a 4’ x 8’ sign will be ordered to be placed on the Police Property on Upper Walpole Road. The Committee also agreed they will follow the Construction Manager model in the next phases of construction. Mr. Dalessio asked each member of the committee to consider replacing him as Chair. He will remain a member of the committee, but his other responsibilities demand he relinquish being Chair.

The next meeting of the Committee will be September 4, at 6:30 pm in the Selectboard office to prepare for the public meeting.

Tagged: Meeting Minutes, Police Building Committee