Melrose Public Safety Buildings Committee Final Report submitted to the City Council

Mayor Paul Brodeur has sent to the City Council the final report of the Melrose Public Safety Building Committee (PSBC) for review at the next Appropriations and Oversight Committee meeting. This report reflects work undertaken by the 11 volunteer members of the PSBC over the past 18 months to conduct a comprehensive assessment of needs and a thorough review of solutions that balance Police and Fire department needs, including compliance with national standards and best practices, with public interest and impacts on taxpayers.  

“I’m deeply grateful for the commitment and professionalism of all the members of the PSBC, led by Melrose residents Eugenia Gibbons and Jeff McNaught,” said Mayor Brodeur. “Together with our public safety professionals, they have advanced this critical project in an extremely thorough manner, as reflected in this comprehensive report.” 

“This report contributes to public dialogue and provides a point from which the community can and should move forward with a focus on implementation of long-term solutions,” said committee co-Chair Eugenia Gibbons.  

The City of Melrose’s public safety buildings are comprised of the central Melrose Fire Department headquarters located at 576 Main Street, constructed in 1895; the West Side Fire Station (Engine 2) located at 206 Tremont Street, constructed in 1929; the East Side Fire Station (Engine 3) at 280 East Foster Street station, constructed in 1964; and the Melrose Police Department headquarters at 56 West Foster Street in a former Bell Telephone Building that dates to 1903. 

Mayor Brodeur re-established the Melrose Public Safety Building Committee in 2021 to develop recommendations for these buildings that balance both the needs of the City and the effective use of tax dollars. The PSBC initiated its effort by reviewing the previous feasibility study completed in 2017. In 2022, the Melrose City Council approved $68,500 to fund the cost of hiring an architectural firm to complete pre-design services to inform this effort. In addition to meeting more than 40 times as a full committee, the PSBC held over 12 preliminary design meetings with Dore + Whittier architects and hosted two open houses and two public learning sessions that can be viewed online at www.melrosepsb.org. 

The final PSBC report recommends the renovation and/or reconstruction of four buildings phased over seven years and sequenced to limit disruption to police and fire services and costly investments in temporary facilities in the interim. The projected costs of this proposal based on preliminary design would be approximately $130 million dollars: $35.9M for a new Police Station; $26.7M to renovate central Fire headquarters; $32.3M for new West Side Fire Station (Engine 2); and $34.8M for new East Side Fire Station (Engine 3). 

Municipal capital projects of this magnitude are financed by a debt exclusion, which must be approved by the voters of Melrose. A debt exclusion is a temporary increase in property taxes, outside the limits of Proposition 2 ½, to raise the funds necessary to pay the costs for specific capital projects identified in the question. The funds raised through a debt exclusion cannot be used for any other purpose. Before a debt exclusion can be put to the voters, the Mayor and City Council must finalize proposed language and vote to put the approved language on the ballot. According to the Massachusetts Division of Local Services, the municipal clerk must receive notice of a ballot question at least 35 days before the date of an election.  

If approved by the voters of Melrose, the project would move forward into the full design phase which would last approximately 12 months. Through this full design phase, total project cost estimates included in the final report would be further refined, including opportunities to fine tune project details and optimize potential cost saving adjustments. 

The full PSBC report is available to view or download on the PSBC page. Print copies can also be viewed at the Mayor’s Office in Melrose City Hall, located at 562 Main Street, and at the Melrose Public Library, currently located 263 West Foster Street. The agenda for report review at the Appropriations and Oversight Committee meeting on Monday, July 24, 2023 can be found here.