Ledyard Town Council to Vote on Police Station and Middle School Renovation Projects Tonight

The Ledyard Town Council may vote take another step forward for the new police station and the middle school renovation project tonight.

The Municipal Building Committee voted to recommend the Town Hall site as the preferred site for new police station at a cost of $6,461,946.

According to Mayor John Rodolico,  the site comes with a few challenges but he expects the payoff to be worth it. For instance:

• The Town still needs to acquire some land in order to make the project possible.
• The construction will take place at the Town Hall and contractors, employees, and residents will have to be mindful of obstacles.
• They will have to rectify existing issues of septic systems and water retention.

The building committee rejected the option to build the new police station on town owned property near the transfer station for an estimated cost of $6,282,971, although everyone seemed to think were cost-saving measures that could reduce the price significantly. The committee also rejected the option to renovate the former Gales Ferry School and build the station there for an estimated cost of $5,962,000.

"The payback is a much more attractive and more functional Town Hall," said Rodolico. "We believe it's going to have a positive influence on Ledyard Center in terms of attracting business and development."

Rodolico also said that some underlying issues at the Town Hall complex will be addressed if the police station is built there.

If the Town Council approves the motion to hire lawyers and get the process started, there will be a Special Town Meeting scheduled to review the two projects 5 to 14 days before the May 21 referendum.

The Town Council meets in the Town Hall Annex at 7 p.m. every other Wednesday.