Exeter public safety complex back on the ballot with higher price tag

EXETER — The proposal to construct a public safety complex will be on the ballot at the next Town Meeting, this time for $17.5 million instead of the original price tag of $16.3 million.

The two-story complex at 6 Continental Drive would house the police headquarters and fire substation. The 23,165-square-foot space would include an outdoor deck, a fitness room, a large community room and designated spaces for each department.

In March, Exeter voters shot down the $16.3 million plan to build the same public safety complex. The bond article, which required a three-fifths majority to pass, received 891 votes in favor and 669 against – bringing it to 57.1%, just shy of the 60% needed for approval.

Select Board Chair Niko Papakonstantis said at the Oct. 2 board meeting the town will be reintroducing an “almost identical warrant article” in 2024 for the proposed public safety complex. The project, he said, is something that he is very “excited” and “passionate” about, and that he will be “advocating” for it.

“It’s much needed,” he said. “(It) was built in 1978 and it was built for the town that existed in 1978 … it’s not ADA compliant, both the police and fire departments have outgrown it, and it just makes sense to have public safety building on that side of town for multiple safety reasons.”

At an August Planning Board meeting, Exeter Deputy Police Chief Josh McCain proposed the board revisit the construction of the complex, as part of next year’s Capital Improvement Plan, as the current space at 20 Court St. is “busting at the seams.”

“The Police Department and the Fire Department … have maxed out and utilized every square inch that is available under the current 6,000-square-foot facility that the Police Department operates in,” he said. “We have police executives in closets, we have one jail cell — we used to have four — because the rest of them are securely housing our records … we don’t have a secured parking lot.”

As an example of the latter, McCain said a police officer was recently confronted at the back parking lot by a person he had pulled over in a car earlier that day.

Other concerns with the current facility, McCain said, include the lack of storage for evidence and equipment, the safety of both personnel and visitors, and the negative and unwelcoming impression of those who visit the space.

“I can go on and on about the deficiencies of our current building, (but) we make do,” he said. “We do the best we can for the town of Exeter, and we will continue to do the best we can for the town of Exeter.”

Town Planner Dave Sharples said the 7.5% increase in price for the project is due to inflation. If the proposal is unsuccessful at the next Town Meeting, he said the cost to build the public safety complex will only increase.

Why a fire substation in needed in Exeter?

Earlier this year, Fire Chief Eric Wilking said the plan to have a fire substation dates back to 2001.

“The 6 Continental Drive station will allow the firefighters to better serve the residents and businesses on the north and west portions of town,” he said.

Currently, it takes the Fire Department 10 minutes to reach the Route 9 intersection at Epping Road, while the benchmark response time is four minutes. Wilkins said the slow response time is due to congestion from the school zones and the railroad tracks.

“The Continental Drive substation will allow us to have equipment and personnel on both sides of the tracks, thus minimizing delays,” said Wilking.

The need for a new public safety complex, said Wilking, is not going away.

“Unfortunately, the price is never going down,” he said. “The project just magically isn’t going away. It’s coming, whether it’s $16.3 (million), $17.5 (million) or a number to be determined, the project is coming, it’s just how do we help articulate that need to the public?”

Planning Board members Jen Martel and Gwen English both agreed it’s important to have a new public safety complex.

“Clearly this is something our town needs,” said Martel. “I would hate to see this go on the ballot, lose by 45 votes again and the price goes up another million dollars … We’re just shooting ourselves in the foot by not allowing this to get started.”

English said certain aspects of the proposed complex — such as the outdoor deck and fitness room —might have given voters the wrong impression. These features, she said, got too much “spotlight.”

“For the people in town, the meat and potatoes are really what are going to get you the votes you need,” English said.