BEDFORD – The Facilities Information and Communication Committee wishes to remind the community about a series of tours and information sessions about the proposed South River Road Police and Fire Complex.
Information sessions are being offered on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 1 p.m., and Wednesday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m., in the McAllister Room at the Bedford Public Library, 3 Meetinghouse Road. Community members are invited to attend and ask questions about the proposal.
Tours of the existing Public Safety Complex, 55 Constitution Drive, are being offered on Thursday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 6 p.m., and Wednesday, Jan. 3, at 1 p.m.
The Town is moving forward with a plan for a Police station and Fire substation on South River Road, following an extensive study of Town-wide space needs. The current plan has been developed to address issues of risk, potential liability, and resident/employee health safety and welfare at the current Public Safety Complex.
The proposal also addresses serious space needs by both public safety departments. Call volumes have increased significantly since the current complex opened in 1994, as has the number of first responders required to ensure the safety and security of Bedford residents and businesses, causing issues that need to be addressed.
The Town Council purchased the site for the new complex at 300 South River Road utilizing funds approved for this purpose at the 2021 and 2023 Budgetary Town Meetings. The 300 South River Road site was chosen due to its proximity to the area with the most frequent service calls.
With this site placement, the Town hopes to maintain its high standard of safety response, protect property values, and continue to make Bedford an attractive place to live and work.
The project is estimated to cost $34 million. The Town is seeking another $2.5 million to renovate the existing Safety Complex and the Town Offices building, for a total investment of $36.5 million. The renovation will upgrade safety facilities and create space for other Town departments.
The Town proposes to pay for these improvements through the sale of a 20-year bond. It estimates the 2025 tax impact of this bond to be $0.531 per $1,000 valuation, or $320 per year for the average $600,000 single-family home, which will decrease each year until the bond is paid off.
The Town Council will hold a public hearing on the bond on Jan. 24, 2024, at 7 p.m. at BCTV, 10 Meetinghouse Road. Residents will be asked to vote on the bond request on Election Day, March 12, 2024.
The Committee also has released a video providing an overview of current Safety Complex conditions, which may be found on Bedford Community Television’s webpage.
Residents may learn more about the South River Road Police and Fire Complex on the Facilities Projects page of the Town website. Residents with questions may contact Assistant Town Manager Jeanne Walker at jwalker@bedfordnh.org.
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