The Walpolean

Police Building Committee Minutes

January 21, 2026

Peggy Pschirrer, Interim Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm in the Hooper Institute.  Present were Steve Dalessio, Trevor Macclachlan, Jay Punt, Cheri Watson, and Andrew Dey.  David Adams was not present because we could not establish a Zoom link.

Mr. Dalessio discussed his conversation with Rena Peck who works for the USDA in New Hampshire.  He clarified the misunderstanding that the recent allocation of a Congressional grant from the office of Senator Jean Shaheen is for the new police building, not the Walpole Fire House.  Our Congressional Grant is $200,058,000.  Ms. Peck indicated she would be back in touch with us in February.  The NH Office of USDA is very short staffed.

Ms. Pschirrer observed that the grant, which was written by Nancy Merill, was written for a larger building than we are now planning to build. We need to correct the size and the cost.  Ms. Pschirrer will contact our Grant Writer to make the appropriate changes.  These changes were made after a public meeting in September when it was clear the public supports our need for a new station but asks that it be smaller and less expensive.

Mr. Dey has mailed RFP’s requesting bids from Architects and Engineers. He has begun to receive inquiries as has Mr. Dalessio.  The deadline for bids is February 27.  The RFP will be published in the Keene Sentinel as well as the monthly Shopper.  Ms. Pschirrer will work with Sarah Downing to publish the RFP Andrew Dey will write for publication.

Ms. Pschirrer discussed the Bond Municipal Bond Schedule: there are two dates for Municipal Bonds- January and July.  We have missed January 2026 but could consider July 2026 which would require a Town Warrant on the agenda of Town Meeting March 14, 2026.  The Committee after discussion agreed it would be better for Walpole to have a special Town Meeting in the Fall and to work toward the October 2026 deadlines for buying a municipal bond in January 2027. Ms. Pschirrer will contact Attorney Renelle L’Huillier who worked with us to secure a Bond for Broadband installation.  That Bond is not considered debt.  The NH legislation allowed towns to buy the bonds debt free to encourage the construction of broadband.  Walpole’s contract with Constellation ensures that every user of their services pays a small monthly fee which goes toward payment of the bond.