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November 9, 2007

Update: State Police HQ won't be moving to Cranston

Citing the state's "mounting budget problems," Governor Carcieri has announced a proposal to build a smaller State Police headquarters at the existing Scituate barracks -- which he said would save $36 million -- instead of building a new headquarters in Cranston.

Carcieri said in a news release this afternoon that the Cranston headquarters was projected to cost $63 million but that a new Scituate headquarters would come to just $27 million.

The Cranston plan had also led to the controversial closing of a state homeless shelter at the site last March. Advocates had asked in September why the State Police project had not yet moved forward. A Carcieri spokesman at that time said that it was under review due to the state's budget situation.

Voters first approved spending $48 million on the headquarters five years ago. Its proposed location has already moved at least three times as its pricetag rose.

The new Scituate HQ would house both the State Police and a new "E911" facility.

“Building the State Police headquarters in Scituate is an important component of my plans to save millions of dollars for Rhode Island taxpayers,” Carcieri said in the statement. “Although we had been planning to build the new headquarters at the Pastore Complex in Cranston, we believed it was important to change those plans in the face of the state’s mounting budget problems. This new plan will give the State Police the modern headquarters they need to fulfill their public safety mission, while cutting the cost in half for taxpayers.”

The original plan for the Cranston location called for closing the Wickford and Chepachet barracks and having all dispatching centralized in the new headquarters. Under the plan Carcieri announced today, only the Chepachet barracks would be closed, and dispatching would be kept at the individual barracks.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports

Carcieri stated that during the summer he asked each department head to find ways to reduce spending and that the decision to build the less esxpensive State Police headquarters came out of that process.

“The new plan also has the strong support of State Police Superintendent, Colonel Brendan Doherty," Carcieri said. "I expect to formally submit the final version of the plan as part of my budget proposal in January.”

The news release said the $63 million Cranston project included up to about $6 million in "extra costs to clean up a site contaminated with the debris of at least 12 buried buildings and foundations. The new plan does not require additional site remediation costs."

Building at the Pastore location, which fronts Pontiac Avenue, "posed serious security concerns that resulted in higher building cost" for such things as re-enforced, blast-proof walls and bullet-proof glass. The Scituate site is a remote one, so it is easier and less costly to secure, Carcieri said.

Also, the governor said the Pastore location falls in the flight path for T.F. Green Airport, so the Federal Aviation Administration has put height limits on the communications tower. The Scituate site has no height restrictions and it is possible that the existing tower may be usable, further cutting construction cost.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:12 PM | Permalink

Comments

Since the original price tag was not a accurate amount needed to build the new state police HQ shows the huge amount of waste and abuse of public funds our elected officials is willing to squander.

Ally | November 9, 2007 7:54 PM link

So, when is the shelter re-opening?

Jen | November 9, 2007 7:54 PM link

Carcieri did you really think the State Police would move to Cranston? You have no clue!! And to think of all the homeless people you put on the street! Oh thats right you are a millionare and live in East Greenwich. LOL

steve | November 9, 2007 10:18 PM link

So how does he figure he will be saving 36 million - wasn't that bond money budgeted over x amount of years - not a one funding item.. How much did it cost to knock down and remove the buildings that had to come down a year early so the site could be prepared.

ROBERT Lavigne | November 10, 2007 6:35 AM link

November 9, 2007

Update: State Police HQ won't be moving to Cranston

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