Above: The flyer for a “Community Update” meeting in Westborough includes a rendering of the planned dispatch site could look like after renovations to increase accessibility for the historic Westborough building (image cropped from flyer)
Tomorrow night, the MetroWest RECC (Regional Emergency Communications Center) is holding a “Community Update” on the future regional emergency dispatch center for Southborough, Westborough, and Grafton. (I just learned the news, thanks to a post by The Community Advocate.)
In addition to the meeting details, I’m also recapping an update on the project from last week’s Select Board Meeting.
The hybrid meeting will include an overview of the project, including Design Concept, Site Design Considerations, and a Project Timeline. The meeting will conclude with an opportunity for public comment.
The meeting will take place 7:00 pm on Thursday, December 12th. Attendees can participate in person at Westborough’s Forbes Municipal Building in the Great Hall, 45 West Main Street or via zoom. (Click here for the agenda with the zoom webinar details.)
At the December 3rd Select Board Meeting, Town Administrator Mark Purple gave a brief update on the RECC’s progress. The amended agreement for Southborough to join the RECC was ratified. The adminstrative group is now taking steps needed in order to advertise for hiring an Executive Director. The Owners Project Manager (Colliers Project Leaders) is working with them to prepare a draft application for the next round of state grant funding.
According to Purple, the RECC has approached the towns of Millbury, Northborough, Upton and Hopedale about the possibility of them joining. In past discussions, Select Board member Al Hamilton has said that success relies on leveraging efficiencies from handling the dispatch for several towns.
The lease had yet to be signed for the site in the old Harvey School Building in Westborough.
Since the building is historic, the Westborough Historical Society is involved. The plan is to mostly preserve the façade. They will need to add an accessible entry along with an elevator. Purple said the shaft would be added towards the rear of the building and incorporate the same style of brick façade. It’s worth noting that the rendering of the building in the flyer doesn’t reflect that. (I don’t know if that means Purple’s info was inaccurate/outdated or tha decision was made after the rendering was created.)
As of Purple’s update, the community group tenants had moved out of the building, but a lot of stored items remain. He indicated the cluttered basement was interfering with getting needed measurements. Clearing out the items is one of the details that needs to be resolved.
Purple plans to keep providing regular updates on the RECC at the Select Board’s semi-monthly meetings.
In trying to find more details on the meeting, I discovered that the Town of Westborough has a dedicate page for the RECC with documents and updates. Interested members of the public can sign up to get alerts when new materials/updates are added to the page. You can find that here.
Looking at this proposal it looks a lot of expensive renovations and additions are going to be required to meet the requirements. Are these so called state grants going to cover all these costs?? Also I am I correct that this facility will be a lease? Given all these facts I strongly suggest look at our new Police and Fire facility and what it will take to accommodate the needs for a RECC being incorporated there! Including just the original towns not adding multiple towns which will ultimately increase the cost.