DALTON, Mass. — The town is on the hunt for volunteers to serve on the Police Building Committee.

 

The Select Board established the committee during its meeting on Monday night and emphasized the need for volunteers to serve on it.  

 

Board Chair Robert Bishop requested media outlets help spread the word that the town is urgently seeking committee members. 

 

The committee of five members will explore potential new locations for the police department, as the current one, in the basement of the Town Hall, is not sustainable. Check out our last article that goes into detail about the stations dire conditions, including sewer backups.

 

Bishop noted that it would be helpful to have volunteers with experience in construction, such as retired architects. 

 

Police Chief Deanna Strout said the committee also needs members with working knowledge of the Police Department and the accreditation process.  

 

Those interested in serving on the committee can call 413-684-6100, Ext. 202, or email the town manager's Executive Assistant Alyssa Maschino at AMaschino@dalton-ma.gov. 

 

Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson said anyone in the office would attend the meeting ex officio. 

 

The Select Board voted to hold off on sending a letter to state representatives requesting help with funding until it is known how much it will cost to address the problems. 

 

The town is currently working on finding short-term safety solutions until the station can be permanently relocated.

 

Building and Grounds Superintendent Jeff Burch informed the board that Highway Superintendent Edward "Bud" Hall had confirmed that the lateral sewer line from the building was clear. There was a slight dip under the sidewalk, but this is not a major concern.

 

Hall determined this by running dye from the dispatch toilet and a camera from the manhole across the street from the Town Hall driveway to the building.

 

Berkshire Rooter Plumbing did an extensive investigation last week and found that the drain does not run under the police station entrance stairs as previously thought. It "is a long run with minimal pitch and several turns," Burch said in an email to Hutcheson.

 

It runs toward the dispatch office, connects with the janitor closet slop sink, runs underneath the lobby, takes a few turns under the booking room bathroom, picks up the booking room bathroom plumbing, connects to the second-floor plumbing, and exits out of the building from there, he said. 

 

According to Berkshire Rooter, descaling the pipe is not recommended because it would likely cause more damage due to all of these turns, Burch said. 

 

Replacing the existing plumbing as it is run is also not likely possible while still keeping the station operational, Burch said in the email.

 

The immediate problem they are looking to resolve is with the sewer. The town is looking to run a new sewer line if they can connect that area of the building that is having issues. There are three drains that can connect to. 

 

Berkshire Rooter gave a verbal quote of $15,000 to run a new lateral from the building to connect to the main street, Burch said. 

 

To do this, the town would have to hire another plumber to dig up the dispatch bath to connect the new lateral to the second-floor treasurer and accounting office bathroom, first-floor janitor closet, dispatch bath, and the street. 

 

"I think the board is unanimous in saying that we'd like to see this happen as soon as possible. We will find the money somewhere," Board member John Boyle said. 

 

The results of the asbestos testing, which was done last week on the flooring tiles in both the dispatch bath and office, will be in next week, but Burch said there is a strong possibility that the mastic under the tiles in the bathroom contains asbestos. 

 

Bishop also said he would like to have the upstairs tested as well, especially the areas right above, because there are employees there as well. 

 

The town is also looking into getting the plan drawn for ventilation in the basement. 

 

Burch said he contacted Hill Engineering to provide an estimate for designing a ventilation system that meets the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers standards. 

 

The state Department of Public Health has been saying there is likely black water in the space between the wood flooring and basement cement floor, which has caused mold growth on the flooring material, Strout said. 

 

According to the DPH, if the flooring is contaminated by blackwater, the underlying flooring can not be cleaned appropriately, and removal is recommended. 

 

"So, I'm a little bit concerned with an HVAC system coming in and blowing that very unhealthy air through the building. I would like to make sure that's remediated prior," Strout said. 

 

In addition to that, there is likely asbestos in the bathroom but probably not in dispatch. Strout said more will be known next week.

 

"I'm hearing a lot of short-term solutions, and that's wonderful. We can't stay in this basement. I just want to be clear, we can't get accredited, our cells are illegal. This is not a functionable building for us any longer," she said. 

 

Strout highlighted all the reasons why the station is not a functional option any more, including the safety issues putting the employees in jeopardy and it not meeting state regulations and not being Americans with Disabilities Act compliant. 

 

The department is seeking accreditation but is not able to because of the building's condition. 

 

"We talked about that two weeks ago, and I've seen no movement, and there's been no meetings of building committees. We need an architect that is familiar with police and communication center," Strout said. 

 

The State 911 is coming to meet Strout and Communication Center Director Gabrielle Taglieri at the end of the month to try to offer some assistance, she said. 

 

Bishop agreed and said he was about to make the motion to establish a committee. 

 

"I know you're frustrated. Believe me, we're frustrated too well. We want to make it safe for everybody, and we want to do the right thing," Bishop said. 

 

Bishop said, in his opinion, the town needs to rent, lease, or build a new station and a committee is needed as soon as possible. He would like it established at the next meeting. 

 

Strout also said she received information about an architecture firm that does feasibility studies. The firm, Jacunski Humes Architects of Connecticut, would assess the station's needs and determine potential solutions. The firm has experience with public safety buildings including a study of the Police Department and designs for the proposed Lanesborough police station.

 

Strout said she will send the information about the firm the the board to review. 

 

"I appreciate all the effort I really do, but I'm very concerned about long term. We can't stay there," she said.