Ogden plans for new highway headquarters

Ogden residents who attended the February 5 and February 12 meetings concerning the building of a new highway facility heard details of the proposed structure. The building will be 7,100 square feet and includes the garage, offices, restrooms and locker rooms. The resolution to build the facility was adopted subject to a permissive referendum. The resolution will allow the town (after 45 days with no petition filed) to go ahead with bonding for $1.8 million. The facility will cost $3.8 million; however, the town has $2 million in reserve for the project. Approximately 60 residents attended the first meeting.

The current highway facility, according to the town's insurance company, is dangerous and doesn't meet the town's current needs. The existing facility was built in 1945, when there were about 3,500 residents in the town. Current census reports show 18,492. Although the town hall has been upgraded, the highway facility has remained the same.

Town officials point to other reasons for the need for a new facility. In 1945, there were about 27 miles of road to maintain, including dirt roads. Today there are 54 miles of roads, and they are all paved, therefore, requiring a higher level of maintenance. In 1945, the town had eight large and five small pieces of equipment. Now there are 48 large pieces and 28 small pieces of equipment in the same facility. Not all trucks are stored in that facility. Those that are outside deteriorate. In 1945 there was one superintendent and nine part-time seasonal employees. Today there is a full-time superintendent, 18 full-time and 3 part-time seasonal employees. There are also two personnel offices.

Highway Superintendent Dave Widger said the building is unsafe and inefficient. The flat roof has been a leaking problem for years and salt has taken its toll on the concrete blocks. The building is structurally unsafe and not ADA (American with Disabilities Act) complaint.

The new building will be in the same approximate location as the existing one. There will be three pieces to the project - an office piece, an indoor heated garage (to about 55 degrees) space and a maintenance area.

Within the office space there would be the D.P.W. offices, an emergency preparedness center and training area for the D.P.W. staff, toilets, lockers, showers, lunchroom as well as storage and dispatch area.

The maintenance area will consist of six repair bays, a welding area and a storage and parts area. The indoor heated area will house about 21 vehicles including the larger vehicles. It will include an indoor wash bay, a wood shop and a small tool crib area. There will also be some covered outdoor parking areas for about 16 vehicles. This will be a pre-engineered structure to keep the design costs down. The existing facility will be demolished.

According to Town Clerk Lynn Bianchi, there were some concerned residents at the first meeting. They raised questions regarding the size of the facility and the bonding (borrowing) issue. Bianchi says she feels that those concerns were addressed.