Mayor Jennifer Macksey broke the news at the city council meeting Tuesday night.
“I'm pleased to announce that we've secured a lease for the old juvenile court building for a temporary space for our police department," she said. "We are hopeful to have the team moved in February or March. We're still working on a plan of how to and if we can move our dispatch services. So, more to come on that. The overall lease is for two years with the ability to do an extension. Realistically, we will probably be there three years. This is the first step in a long-term plan to improve our police department, and it launches many future steps in the overall public safety building project which will also include the fire department. The lease is approximately $9,000 per month and this money will be paid out of our [American Rescue Plan Act] funds.”
The former juvenile court is an almost 11,000 square-foot space located in Berkshire Plaza.
Macksey then elaborated on the long-term plan for the city’s public safety facility.
“We've recently completed a comprehensive needs assessment study done by Bieniek Associates," she said. "This document will be used after the first of the year to launch an RFP for design services, which we hope to have out in January or February. We've had many internal discussions about location of the building, and as well as reuse of our own properties. We will continue to look at city-owned property, but the realistic part is we probably will need to purchase property. As part of the first phase of the RFP, we'll engage professional services to help us navigate any land acquisitions that we need to do. So, we are making steady progress on the public safety building, but it was felt from an operational need and the needs that we need to accomplish to serve the community, especially at their most vulnerable times, that we need to vacate that building as quickly as possible.”
The mayor also discussed the fire department’s needs.
“Years ago, they received some insurance money and have been able to make repairs," said Macksey. "We've been able to address the ADA issues on the fire department side because we do have an operating office downstairs. But the police department is in dire disrepair, it's not handicap accessible, and the building is falling down around us every day, faster and faster. So, this has been not a hidden topic, but a long-term topic that the city has been looking at, and I cannot continue to ask that department to operate in that building.”
One of the largest pieces of the puzzle is how to relocate the city’s 911 dispatch services.
“The big problem that we have with the 911 is the equipment," said the mayor. "I think before I became treasurer in 2000, we got that equipment from Berkshire County. It was their old system. And it literally is hanging on by duct tape and band aids and it will not survive a move. So, pay now, pay later, that's what we're trying to address. Dispatch can stay in that building, but it's not my ideal situation. So, we're looking at a way to efficiently and financially make the move with dispatch to go over the juvenile court, but the operations of the police department will come first. And then we're still exploring how we're going to get dispatch over there, whether it's going to be piecemeal or move everything all at once.”
Councilor Wayne Wilkinson offered a suggestion about relocating the city’s 911 operation.
“You mentioned moving 911 dispatch, that it was antiquated equipment, that kind of stuff," he said. "Have you considered regionalization of the dispatch? There are other towns going there. I know Adams has recently joined, they're getting a very good deal for a very minor amount of money. It would eliminate the problem altogether. From what I understand, presently, our 911 is financed by a grant. I have no idea when that grant would be over. I think probably now is a good time to look into whether regionalization would be beneficial for North Adams, it would solve your problem about moving them, it would solve your problem about new equipment.”
Council Vice-President Peter Oleskiewicz hailed the news.
“We've all been inside the police department and it is, it's a mess," he said. "Floods and the water, no heat, it's terrible. Even our detainees have, the conditions they have are terrible. And they have rights as well. So, I applaud the efforts that after all these years, we are finally making some forward motion.”
