Frequently Asked Questions
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New Plymouth Township Hall |
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Click here to see new FAQ's
posted here January 7, 2004.
Why do we need a new Township Hall?
The need for new Township facilities has been recognized
for over ten years now. There are many factors that have
caused us to pursue a new Township Hall facility. The most
important of those factors is the need for additional space;
the age of our current buildings and the maintenance that they
require; and the inefficient layout of the current facilities
and the problem that poses for our residents and employees
every day. The current Township buildings were not designed
for the electronic/computer/telecommunications needs of
today’s world.
Our Police and Fire Departments outgrew their space several
years ago. In fact, our Detective Bureau is currently
operating outside the Police Department and is being housed in
a portion of the Assessing building. There is currently no
secure area to transfer suspects/prisoners between the
building and police vehicle. The Fire Station does not have
adequate living quarters for our Firefighters who work 24
hours a day, nor do we have proper space for storing and
maintaining the equipment that they require. These inadequate
and inefficient conditions hamper the operations of both
departments and may cause the quality of service to suffer.
In addition, the current Township facilities do not reflect
the pride we take in our community. We have great homes and a
great community and we take care of our homes and
subdivisions. Our Township Hall should reflect that.
What about emergency vehicle traffic on Haggerty Road?
Near Allen Elementary School?
Our emergency vehicles are already using this route. For
over 30 years, Haggerty Road has been a main artery for
emergency vehicles leaving the current facility at Ann Arbor
and Lilley Roads to respond to any runs on the north end of
the Township because it is free of any railroad track
obstructions. By relocating the facilities, our emergency
vehicles will pull out onto Haggerty Road at a slower speed
and will just start to accelerate as they move past Allen
School. There will be no increased danger to the nearby
residents or children attending Allen Elementary School. In
fact, it may even increase safety in the area.
What are the benefits of moving Township Hall to the
Massey property (NW corner of Ann Arbor and Haggerty Roads)?
Why not rebuild on the same site?
Perhaps one of the greatest benefits to moving the
facilities to Haggerty Road is that the Township will acquire
a parcel of 9.5 acres. This is three times the space that we
have now and will allow a nice development with a park-like
atmosphere that we can all be proud of. The move will actually
come with great savings. If the Township purchases the Massey
property, builds a new facility then sells the current
Township Hall property, we expect to earn roughly $1M from the sale, over and above what we plan to pay for the
Massey site. Not to mention the many difficulties that
temporarily relocating operations would cause while a new
facility is built on the current site. It would not be easy to
find a temporary site that meets even our minimal needs and
operations would have to be moved twice.
Have other sites been considered?
Yes. Two prominent suggestions for alternate sites have
been the parcel the Township already owns on Beck Road at
Powell, and the Chrysler complex on Ann Arbor Road east of the
railroad overpass. Neither parcel is a good fit. If a new
facility were built on Beck Road, the Township would have to
build a new fire station at its current location to maintain
current coverage. Also, the Beck Road site needs to be
preserved for future recreation use or expansion of the
Township’s golf course.
The Chrysler property is unfeasible for a couple of reasons.
At 130,000 square feet, it’s more than double the size
(54,000-sq. ft.) the Township needs and major renovations
would be necessary. Plus, the owner is seeking a lease
arrangement, not a sale.
Will the Division of Public Services offices move to the
new site?
Yes. Currently, our Water, Solid Waste, Public Works,
Planning, and Community Development Departments are all
located four miles away on Port Street, near Beck Road and
M-14. These departments would move to the new Township Hall
site, making for a much more efficient environment for our
residents and employees.
Why not wait for better economic times?
Property values will continue to increase and land parcels
of adequate size for our needs in an acceptable location may
be non-existent if we wait. Considering the current municipal
finance rates, there is no better time than now to act.
How much will this cost me?
The Board had originally expected the need to ask voters to
approve an additional tax millage to fund construction of the
town hall project. However, over the past several months the
Township administration along with Financial Consultants have
worked hard to see if we could build a new town hall without
the need to increase taxes. We are pleased to announce that as
a result of our belt tightening, investment policies, and
fiscal management we are in a position to do just exactly that
– build the long overdue township hall from a combination of
our existing revenue, designated fund balance, and proceeds
from the sale of our current parcels.
Has a feasibility study been done?
Yes, the Board of Trustees has hired the firm of Plante &
Moran CRESA to prepare a needs and cost assessment of
constructing a new Township Hall. The Board will use the
study, along with input from residents, in making a decision
about moving forward with the project.
What were the results of the Special Election held on
November 6, 2003?
On November 6, 2003, Township voters approved a bond
proposal allowing the Township to issue $6M in municipal
bonds. The bond proceeds, combined with an additional $6M from
current assets will allow the Township to build a new Township
Hall, Police, and Fire complex.
What happens next?
Supervisor Steve Mann has formed an Advisory Committee to
begin moving the project forward. The committee, chaired by
Chief Building Official Mark Lewis, included a cross section
of active community residents and elected officials who will
make recommendations to the Board of Trustees for
consideration. The committee will immediately seek out bids
for architectural firms followed by bids for project
management. After the 6-7 month design by the Architect, the
Township expects to bid the project out for construction in
fall 2004. Groundbreaking is expected during late 2004 or
spring of 2005. Construction of the new facilities is expected
to be complete by the end of 2005.
Where is the New Town Hall property?
The 9.5 acre site for the new Township facilities is
located on Haggerty Road north of Ann Arbor Road.
Has the property at Ann Arbor Road and Haggerty been
acquired?
The Township is scheduled to close on the purchase of the
9.5-acre parcel at the northwest corner of Ann Arbor Road and
Haggerty in the first quarter of 2004.
Are there any plans for the property that currently holds
the Township Offices?
Once the project has been bid out for construction, the
Township will field offers for sale of the current property,
which is located at 42350 Ann Arbor Road (corner of
Lilley/Mill).
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