Mold, Rust, Water at Police Station May Point to Need for New Building

With water infiltration, mold and rusted window frames among the problems at the more than 40-year-old Weston Police station, officials said they plan to keep the building alive until a new one may be built.

"It's hard to see how it makes sense to try to repair that building," said Selectman Ed Coburn. "I think if you walked people through the building they'd be appalled. It needs to go — I'm convinced."

At the Tuesday, July 31, Board of Selectmen's meeting, the board got an update on the condition of the police station from Mark Susser and Joe Gazzola of the Permanent Building Committee.

The building faces water infiltration, mold, rusted window frames and other problems, Susser said. The mold needs to be cleaned and outside drainage needs to be addressed, he said.

"Water does a lot of damage to a building," he said.

Susser asked the board for direction on whether to "keep the building alive" until a new one could be built, or whether to do more substanative repairs if perhaps a new police station is not in the cards.

Selectmen Chairman Michael Harrity directed the Permanent Building Committee to take care of the problems to make the station useable, while Selectman Doug Gillespie noted that now is the time to look at not only a new police station, but whether a combined police and fire public safety building makes sense.

The building is likely not suitable for renovation instead of rebuilding, becaucse it is a 1970s building built with bunker features, Gazzola and Harrity noted. The need for a new building should not be a shock to voters, Gillespie said.

"We've been talking about this (a new police station) for five years, people know it's in line," said Gillespie.

Harrity said a new police station is at least four years out.

"Obviously it needs to go to the voters," he said.