Town Preparing for New Buildings

Seekonk Town Administrator Pamela Nolan gave updates this week on the progress of the new Animal Shelter, Senior Center and Banna Fire Station renovations.

Nolan said that the Banna Fire Station committee had been deciding between a one story building or a two story one and the two story design is the most likely one.

The committee has decided to use a modular, prefabricated building to expand the fire station. Plans are still needed to be drawn up in order to get estimates for the project.

“We’re at the point now where we’re ready to bid,” Nolan said.

The architectural designs are estimated to cost $40,000.

The new Animal Shelter, which was approved at the recent Fall Town Meeting, is still in its early stages. The shelter is decided whether it would be worth it to renovate, expand, and repair the current building versus building an entirely new one.

They are currently getting estimates on the cost to repair the old one to see if the cost would be prohibitive.

The debt exclusion to fund the new senior center still needs to be approved by voters in the upcoming April election, but Selectman Bob McClintock, who also serves on the Senior Center Building Committee, said “We’re pretty much ready to go, when the town gives us the okay to go.”

Selectmen Notes:

• Michael Bourque, a firefighter in town, was appointed to the Banna Fire Station Committee.
• Russ Hart was appointed to the Energy Conservation Committee. Hart has a degree in mechanical engineering and has installed solar panels in his home. There are still several openings on the committee.
• Voted unanimously to go to the finance committee within in the next week and ask for $5,000 to cover the increase in cost for Construction Engineering of the Central Avenue Project.