The Select Board will enter negotiations with the Lanesborough Plaza to rent space for the ambulance. The location would the be former restaurant on the left.

The Police Department moved into the shopping plaza three years ago, also because of an inadequate building. The town is looking to put police and EMS in one new facility.  

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town's police and emergency medical services will be on the same site— in rental spaces. 

On Monday, the Select Board voted to go into negotiations with Lanesboro Plaza LLC for EMS rental space at its next meeting. The department has been asked to leave the fire station at 180 South Main St., which is owned by the Fire Association, because of insufficient space.

Lanesboro Plaza, owner of 551 and 555 South Main St., according to the GIS map, is also the Police Department's landlords as the town grapples with its public safety facility needs. The South Main Plaza storefront formerly occupied by Biggin's Diggins is vacant. 

P.J. Pannesco, from the advisory group for the request for proposals, reported that two bids were submitted Monday morning. Proposals were due by 9 a.m. and were evaluated by Town Administrator Gina Dario, a member of the Finance Committee, and a member of the Ambulance Enterprise Committee. 

"One was from Lanesboro Plaza LLC, and the other from Lakefront Condominium Complex LLC," Pannesco said. 

"And after evaluating the two proposals in accordance with the standards set by the RFP evaluation criteria and the cost proposals, the group agreed with the chief procurement officer's endorsement to recommend that the Lanesborough Select Board go into negotiations with Lanesboro Plaza LLC at the next Select Board meeting executive session." 

The recommendation was accepted without discussion. 

At last month's annual town meeting, voters passed a $100,000 transfer from free cash to lease, renovate, and furnish space for the ambulance department. At the meeting, EMS Director Jen Weber said there was a location in mind, but she would leave it up to the Select Board whether to disclose it. 

The town put out a request for proposals for a one to three-year lease that begins on Aug. 1. 

"The town requires approximately 1,700 square feet of built-out office space to accommodate its Emergency Services Department facilities including private office, bunk rooms, kitchenette, dining area, bathrooms, and shower," the RFP reads. 

"… The Emergency Services Department also requires access to a drive-through, insulated garage space in close proximity to the building with a minimum size of 16 feet by 21 feet and dedicated parking area and paved driveway." 

The Lanesborough Police Department moved into the plaza in August 2022 and has expanded on the site since. Last year, Chief Robert Derksen said he sees three to five years in the "temporary" space. 

Earlier this year, the Select Board voted to advance a combined police/emergency medical services facility, discarding the option for a $6.5 million separate build.  

The same design, then priced at $5.9 million, was shot down in 2023.

The Select Board also revisited a towing policy approved last month to make further changes.  The job is done by two town companies: Village Truck Sales and Sayers Auto Wrecking, and both worked with the town on a formal policy. 

Chair Deborah Maynard successfully motioned to amend the policy so that tow comapanies must respond to a call from the police within 15 minutes, from 20, before it goes to the next tow company on the rotation list; to maintain records for two years, from six months, for legal reasons; and that the police chief had the authority to add or subtract a tow company from the list.

Select Board member Jason Breault successfully motioned to allow two cars to be towed at a time, explaining, "Each tow company is going to benefit from this because they're going to allow two vehicles to be pulled from the roadway, and it saves time." 

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