Hanson Select Board Considers Highway Department Building Upgrade Plan
Committee presents $2.2-2.7 million proposal to repurpose former police station and construct new facilities to address decades-old infrastructure problems
HANSON - August 5 - The Hanson Select Board unanimously approved moving forward with a comprehensive Highway Department building upgrade plan that would cost between $2.2 million and $2.7 million, addressing infrastructure issues that have persisted for decades.
The Highway Building Committee presented the proposal during Monday's Select Board meeting, outlining a creative approach that repurposes existing buildings while adding new construction to solve space and safety concerns at the current facility.
"This site is literally central, because the center of town two miles from anywhere in town from here," said Town Planner Tony De Frias, who worked with the committee to develop the plan. "When you have bad weather, especially snowstorms, and you're sanding and salting, time is of the essence."
The current Highway Department administrative building, constructed around 1964, houses cramped offices with poor lighting and little storage space. The garage shop, built in 1938, barely accommodates the department's equipment, while a storage shelter shows significant deterioration with rotted steel beams and missing panels.
"If I'm a taxpayer and, wait a minute, we just spent $250,000 or $300,000 on a brand new piece of equipment and you tell me it's going to sit outside?" De Frias said, highlighting the need for proper equipment storage.
The plan centers on repurposing the former police station, currently occupied by Hanson Youth Sports, as the new administrative headquarters for the Highway Department. The building would provide four offices, a conference room, and common space, all with air conditioning and heating systems already in place.
"The building needs some screen doors and paint and you could probably move in there and have the administrative aspect of highway in that building," DeFries said.
To accommodate the youth sports organization, the committee proposes installing a modular building with three offices and bathroom space on the same site. The modular unit would cost between $134,400 and $141,120.
The proposal includes constructing a new 130-by-60-foot Morton building to house the department's trucks and equipment. The structure would provide approximately 3,400 square feet of space with seven bay doors, allowing all five CDL trucks and the loader to be stored indoors.
"As of right now, let's see, just a very rough elementary sketch here, but you got seven bay doors so we could fit all five of our CDL trucks, our loader, in that one spot left over," said Highway Superintendent Rich Jasmin.
A new salt shed measuring 50-by-80 feet would replace the current deteriorating structure. The committee recommends a modern design that orients north-south rather than the current east-west direction.
Select Board member Ed Heal emphasized the importance of protecting expensive equipment from weather damage. "You need to have them undercover," he said, referring to the extended lifespan of indoor-stored vehicles.
The project would also create office space for the town's IT director within the repurposed police station, providing a central location for technology support.
Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett noted the timing aligns well with the town's debt obligations. "The police station, the final payment is going to be in 2026 for that, and that was nearly $5 million," she said. "So to me, I think this is a perfect timing because we can say, look, we're coming up, this is coming off the rolls and we're going to roll it in."
The committee's approach represents a significant cost savings compared to building an entirely new facility. De Frias said other towns have spent $10 million to $12 million on new highway buildings, making this proposal about one-third of typical costs.
"We're trying to solve a problem. It's kind of a band-aid, but it could be a long-term band-aid versus going full bore, like a brand new highway building at 10 to 12 million dollars," De Frias said.
The plan addresses safety concerns highlighted by deteriorating conditions in the current storage shelter. Photographs in the committee's report show rotted steel beams and missing panels that pose risks to workers.
"You wouldn't let a single person go through there and check out those trucks," member Joe Weeks said. "I wouldn't let them step foot in that building to check that out."
The committee worked with engineering consultants to develop preliminary cost estimates and will now proceed with more detailed planning and refined budget projections. If costs escalate significantly beyond the initial estimates, the committee indicated they might pursue a phased approach, starting with the administrative building relocation.
The project would require a debt exclusion vote by residents, similar to the financing method used for the police station and other major municipal projects.
The Select Board also addressed several other items during Monday's meeting:
• Approved a block party on Brook Bend Road for Aug. 31, contingent on organizers communicating directly with a neighbor who expressed concerns about driveway access
• Discussed the town's housing production plan, with consultants explaining requirements for affordable housing development and strategies to maintain local control over future projects
• Received an update on the Zero West Washington Street property development project, which received a $98,826 grant for site preparation work that makes the commercial-industrial zoned land ready for marketing
• Approved various event permits and liquor licenses for upcoming community gatherings
The next Select Board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 19.
July 29 - The Hanson Select Board has appointed Amy Walcott as the town's new Executive Assistant, filling the position left vacant by a recent resignation.
The board made the decision during a brief zoom meeting on July 29, 2025 after a quick discussion about Walcott's qualifications and experience.
Town Administrator Lisa Green presented Walcott's candidacy to the board, highlighting her previous municipal experience and familiarity with the role's duties.
"She worked in the water precinct in New Hampshire, handling many of the same tasks she'll be doing here," Green said.
Green added, "Amy has expressed a strong desire to put down roots in Hanson, so we're hopeful this will be a long-term appointment."
The board members unanimously approved Walcott's appointment without additional questions.
Walcott is set to begin her onboarding process on August 4, with her first full day of work on August 6.