PORTLAND, Maine — Leaking windows, not enough adequate parking for police cruisers or personnel, lack of a fire suppression system and a building that is not entirely ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant.
Those are just a few of the reasons why Portland City Manager John Jennings would like to see a new Public Safety Building in Portland.
Jennings presented the idea to the City Council's Economic Development Committee on Tuesday night.
Jennings said they have been taking a comprehensive look at all of the city's existing assets.
"There are problems we will be facing next year with the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan). We feel putting good money into a bad situation simply doesn't make sense."
Jennings told the committee that interim Portland Police Chief Vern Malloch approached him during the CIP process wanting to request $600,000 for new windows.
"It's also becoming more of a best practice to shed itself of non-revenue producing assets such as an antiquated police building that was built in 1973."
Jennings is proposing to the Economic Development Committee and the City Council the concept of relocating both the police department and the fire department command staff.
Chief Malloch was at the meeting. He told the committee there are major infrastructure issues at the police department which is located at 109 Middle Street. And they struggle with how much money to put into it.
He says the windows, which are original to the building, are leaking. The building lacks a fire suppression system in the server room and the dispatch center, which is a risk management issue.
Part of the building is also not ADA compliant, including a part of the dispatch center where they have an employee who is in a wheelchair. Currently that employee can't get to all areas in dispatch.
"The basement also leaks," Chief Malloch says. "That is where we have our self-defense training and that is where the property and evidence storage is, so we have to jockey certain evidence in a place where it doesn't leak. We have tarps set up to drain water into barrel. These are not cheap fixes."
Jennings said they would be looking at a future RFP (request for proposal) to seek a development partner who would build a facility for public safety and the sell police headquarters, which is a valuable property.
The Portland Fire Department's command staff would also be housed in the public safety building.
Chief Keith Gautreau says for years the command staff and administration has been housed in Central Fire Station on Congress Street. That can be problematic in terms of trying to conduct business. And they also don't meet all of the ADA requirements.
A potential site for the public safety building is County Way, which is currently where the Cumberland County Jail and Sheriffs Office is located.