WESTBOROUGH – On Thursday, Dec. 12, the public got its first look at how the Harvey Building at 20 Phillips St. will turn into a Regional Emergency Community Center.
Currently, the center will be run by dispatchers from Westborough, Southborough and Grafton. According to Westborough Fire Chief Pat Purcell, the potential is there for eight to 12 additional communities, depending on the size of the communities.
The board of directors – made up of the town administrators for Westborough, Southborough and Grafton – is in the process of finalizing a job description and compensation for an executive director.
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This board will also be in charge of approving the budget; providing reports to the participating communities; and considering all other issues coming before the district.
The communities’ chief administrative officer and chief financial officer (or the CAO’s designee) will serve on the Financial Advisory Subcommittee. This group will formulate, approve and submit annual budgets to the board of directors.
The Operations Committee will be under the supervision of the police and fire chiefs of the participating towns. This committee will oversee overall operations of the district.
The board will also finalize the setup of the organizational structure; finalize the design; and work with the owner’s project manager to begin the construction process.
Funding for the project – about $4.7 million – is being provided by the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. The funding will cover project management services, architectural services and construction.
The center’s design is progressing, as is the forming of the MetroWest Regional Emergency Communications Center District.
Representatives from The Galente Architectural Studio (TGAS) presented renderings of the exterior and interior of the center.
The basement will house the locker room, information technology and storage. The dispatch room will be located on the first floor, along with the training room and offices. The attic could provide space for future expansion.
According to the project’s schedule, design development will proceed until February 2025. The next phase will involve the creation of construction documents, followed by bidding and negotiations.
If all goes according to plan, construction could begin as soon as June 2025, with completion in the summer of 2026.
For information on the center, visit https://metrowestreccma.gov/
