Town Board explores ADA compliance

It’s not the first time Town officials have discussed making Police Headquarters and Justice Court buildings compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). There have even been some preliminary plans created by Pam Pospisil of Pospisil & Brown Architects for what it could take to make both buildings accessible to people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility to use stairways to enter and access rooms within the structures.

But Tuesday afternoon, the Town Board looked more closely at plans and heard costs that could be involved in making such plans a reality.

Police Chief Jim Read, Ms. Pospisil and Town Engineer Joe Finora elaborated on the needs, security aspects built into the plans and pricing.

The Police Department proposal is estimated to cost $450,000 while the more elaborate needs at Justice Court are estimated at $1.25 million.

Clearly, it’s not pocket change and there isn’t a reserve fund created to deal with such capital costs. Where could Town officials find money to tackle either project?

Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams, armed with some solid information, said she will speak with members of the Capital Planning/Grants Committee and grants consultant Jennifer Messiano Higham about grant money that might be available. She also talked about the possibility of bonding one or both projects, noting the Town isn’t deeply in debt. But to push ahead with that option would need support from the public.

Ms. Pospisil explained that she has done more work on the Police Department needs since that effort got underway but it became evident Town officials weren’t ready to move forward because of costs.

She explained the work on the Police Department building would need to provide a way for suspects or prisoners to enter the building and afford a means for others with mobility issues to enter other parts of the building, whether it was to report a crime or speak with police officers about a case. Extensive work wouldn’t be necessary on the building.

Still the police would need a room to question those reporting a crime or suspected of committing a crime and conducting such activities as finger printing.

There would be no need for extensive outside work to accommodate those with limited mobility issues although they would need to be able to enter the building and move within it for various purposes. A handicapped accessible bathroom would be required, Ms. Pospisil said.

Conversely, there would be extensive work needed both inside and outside the Justice Court building. A wrap-around structure would be needed to enter and leave the building with a means for judges to enter or leave without having to walk through the courtroom. The judges each need office space with separate space for the court clerk to work. A handicapped accessible room would be needed for juries to deliberate and for attorneys to meet with their clients.

The area where the clerk sits during sessions needs to be larger and near the judge so materials can be passed back and forth during sessions.

Justice Mary-Faith Westervelt noted when she broke her leg two years ago, she could not easily get into the building or move around the office and courtroom. She thanked Ms. Pospisil for the effort that went into identifying needs.

Mr. Finora said a next step for him if the Town Board is serious about pursuing possibilities on one or both projects is to speak with an accessibility consultant who can determine where best to allocate resources for Town buildings.

Deputy Supervisor Meg Larsen said she has been working to create a master plan for all Town assets that can guide which projects can be developed easily and not overly expensively and which need more money and thoughts before they can be activated.

Depending on the project, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services needs to weigh in on septics for various projects.

Councilman Gordon Gooding told his colleagues the need for appropriate septic systems is of the highest priority and needs to be pursued as soon as possible.

There will be more discussion at upcoming Town Board work sessions.