By Carol Britton Meyer

A RENDERING OF THE PROPOSED PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING ON LOT B OF THE HULL REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY PROPERTY. [SOURCE: TOWN OF HULL]

Hull Redevelopment Authority members this week declined to vote on a proposal to formally oppose construction of a public safety building on its property, preferring instead to wait until a separate committee releases more information.

Vice Chair Dan Kernan expressed strong opposition Monday night to the possibility of locating the proposed new public safety building on HRA Lot B, the larger, center section of the 13-acre property. There were about 30 people – including HRA members – on the Zoom meeting.

During a recent presentation, the HRA property was recommended as one of the top three feasible locations for such a facility, according to Kernan. However, he said that as he understands it, that is now the preferred site.

Kernan made a motion for the board to write a letter of opposition against that location before the process moves forward further, but it was not seconded.

“We didn’t plan for it to be there,” he said. “…It’s our property, not the town’s.”

Although the general consensus among board members is not to support building such a facility on HRA land, all but Kernan preferred to wait until more information becomes available from the committee before making a decision.

The results of the HRA’s community survey – which was mailed to registered voters for input on future uses of the property – contain a question that relates to the proposed facility and will be considered to gauge public interest. A future town meeting will have the final say.

The recently appointed public safety building committee is charged with evaluating suitable locations for a combined police and fire station, as identified in the Hull Public Safety Feasibility Study.

Committee members are also tasked with supporting the design, construction, and commission of a facility “suitable for the current and future public safety needs of the Town of Hull.”

The committee will work with town officials to carry out community engagement efforts associated with the proposed project.

C. Anne Murray, an unopposed candidate for the HRA in the town’s upcoming election, said that if the building were to be situated on the HRA property, the response times to her neighborhood on Summit Avenue would be higher.

“Personally, I’m against [this location],” she said.

“I don’t think they can just swoop in and take the land without the backing of [town meeting],” HRA member Adrienne Paquin said.

Chair Bartley Kelly said that because the HRA owns the property, “it’s up to us whether we want to sell, lease, or give [land] to the town or another entity. The decision regarding the disposal of this property rests with the HRA.

“If the town chooses this site, it will need the HRA’s backing before they can go to town meeting for funding,” he said. “We don’t know the other options they’re looking at or the cost, but we will ultimately make the decision whether the HRA gets onboard.”

Kelly said he is open to “a robust discussion” with the building committee about the proposed size, cost, and other factors. “We own the land, and it’s our decision.”

In related business at the meeting, about 500 residents have already responded to the survey in a little over a week. Some have reported that they didn’t receive a survey or had some issues with taking it, and HRA Technical Operations Manager Mark Hamin is working to resolve these issues. Each postcard mailed to inform citizens about the survey has a unique code that applies to their individual response.

The numbers of respondents “is exceeding expectations already,” Hamin said. “With ads, social media, word of mouth, this meeting and a [planned] letter to the editor [of The Hull Times], we expect the overall response to be really high. The HRA wants to make participating as easy as possible.”

The survey is a joint HRA/Market Street Research effort, with Paquin and HRA member Charles Richardson spearheading the survey process for the authority.

An update was also provided about the recent Department of Conservation & Recreation working group meeting that included Town Manager Jennifer Constable, other town staff, and HRA members Paquin and Kelly. The conversation covered a number of subjects – including the DCR’s plans for Nantasket Beach, the expected impacts from the proposed two-way road, and resiliency.

“Everyone was super collaborative, and there was good communication,” Paquin reported.

The next working group meeting was scheduled for April 29, with the next HRA meeting planned for May 11 at 7 p.m. on Zoom.

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