Friday, August 14, by Carol Britton Meyer
The Town of Hingham could have a new state-of-the-art public safety facility off Rte. 3A that would include new police headquarters and a satellite fire station in the not-too-distant future -- subject to approval at a Special Town Meeting
As a follow-up to last June's regular Town Meeting, which supported funding for a feasibility study and conceptual design plans, the Selectmen recently entered into a purchase and sale agreement on a three-acre parcel at 335 Lincoln Street -- where Russo Marine is now located -- for that purpose.
Last night, the Selectmen entered into a contract with Kaestle Boos Associates, which has been designing award-winning facilities throughout New England for more than 50 years. The company also has extensive experience in designing public safety facilities similar to the one proposed for Hingham.
The town has until Nov. 30 as a due diligence period. If the proposal moves forward as the board and public safety officials hope, voters will decide whether to purchase the property for $5.475 million at a Special Town Meeting this fall.
Kaestle Boos was chosen from among 11 respondents to the recently-issued RFQ (Request for Quote).
The fee for the study -- which will include parking, traffic, cost, and other information so that Town Meeting voters can make an informed decision -- is $175,000, less than the maximum potential $200,000 cost included in the RFQ.
If the project moves forward, about 40 parking spaces at Town Hall currently used by police department personnel would be freed up. This would also pave the way potential expansion and renovation of the adjacent senior center -- which has outgrown its current space -- into the area now occupied by the police department.
In other business during the meeting, Griffin P. Moriarty, Kevin P. Nguyen, and Daniel E. Goldstein -- whom the Selectmen interviewed recently in open session -- were appointed as Hingham police officers, contingent on successful completion of all required tests, exams, and training.
See here for interview details.
"We set the bar pretty high [for hiring police officers], and all three exceeded that bar," Selectmen Chair Mary Power said.