Sharon Moves Forward with Police/Fire Buildings

The Sharon Police and Fire Departments are looking to upgrade their facilities.

Voters approved a Safety Feasbility Study Committee at town meeting.

The committee, made up of the town administrator, DPW superintendent, town engineer, two citizen members from the standing building committee and the fire and police chiefs as proponents, is looking to hire an architect.

“They’re going to look at whether the buildings are adequate, which they certainly are not, and also see if either building could be rehabilitated,” Sharon police chief Joseph Bernstein said. “It could also be that neither one of them are worth rehabbing and the way to go is to build a public safety complex where both departments are housed in one building.”

Bernstein added the committee and the selected architect will look at places in the town for such a building if that becomes the best option.

The architect will conduct a feasibility study to help the town make decision on what to do with the aging buildings.

“That’s going to look at the current facilities and recommend a number of options to bring the facilities up to current standards,” Sharon fire chief James Wright said. “That could be anything from a new facility or renovating our current facilities.”

The potential architects will to go through a screening process to narrow down the field. Wright said it will probably be the top one or two, and the committee will submit a final recommendation, and will be given to the Board of selectmen.

“Ultimately it will come to the board as the direction as to the architect will develop for police and fire facilities,” he said.

Wright said the request for design services is out right now.

What do you think the town should do? Renovate or build new police and fire stations?