Lakes Region Fire District seeks to stay at former Laconia state school property
Apr. 29—CONCORD — The head of the Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid Association (LRMFAA) said now that a plan to sell the former Laconia State School property has fallen apart, his group wants to acquire two buildings on that site — one that currently houses its own dispatch service for 35 member towns and the other containing the state's backup 911 center.
In a strongly worded letter to Gov. Chris Sununu, the LRMFAA's Jonathan Goldman said the state's plan to build a new $24 million building for both uses in Meredith Center does not make financial sense.
A few months ago, the Executive Council approved leases that were contingent on the Laconia property sale going through.
Those contracts would have allowed both public safety agencies to remain where they are for a few years while the new building was under construction.
The state already has earmarked a $13 million federal American Rescue Plan Act grant for the new building project.
Earlier this month, the development group Legacy at Laconia LLC, beset by numerous financial issues, failed to secure financing to buy the Laconia property before a deadline.
The next morning, the state put the property back on the market.
Sununu said he's hopeful officials will identify a new buyer in the coming months.
Goodman said Lakes Region fire district officials long have preferred to remain where they are.
He pointed out that several years ago the parcel that includes the Dwinnell and Dube buildings at issue was subdivided from the rest of the near-220 acre property.
"It seems in today's challenging economic times, as a fiscal conservative, that it would make much more fiscal sense to the state of New Hampshire and its taxpayers to refurbish an already acquired, already standing building, than it would be to break ground on new building construction, for $24 million," Goldman wrote.
24-year arrangement
For 24 years, the fire district and the New Hampshire Division of Emergency Services and Communications (DESC) have had an arrangement that allows them to share data and radio systems and benefit from other efficiencies, he said.
Both are in the Dwinnell Building, which was built in 1958 and renovated in 2000.
The Dube Building, built in 1958, has had some improvements made to it with the use of federal funds. A 2022 report of the Lakeshore Redevelopment Planning Commission described both buildings as being in "good physical condition," in contrast to most structures on the property, which the developers had planned to demolish.
Goodman said the fire district could buy the buildings and lease back to the state enough space for the 911 backup center to expand its footprint into both buildings.
"We have maintained from the beginning of this project that we do not want to move, and it cannot cost our 35 member communities or their taxpayers a penny," Goldman said.
The association will have to pay an estimated $700,000 to cover its moving, equipment and furniture expenses at the new building once it's finished, he said.
"I am confident that there can be an equitable resolution, that would be mutually beneficial to the state of New Hampshire, LRMFAA, and DESC. I would be delighted to meet with you about this critical and time sensitive matter," Goldman wrote Sununu.
"It is of the utmost critical importance to our public safety partners, and the residents, and visitors of the state of New Hampshire, and the Lakes Region that we resolve this matter so all agencies can continue saving lives."
Sununu's office issued a statement in support of building a new public safety center and keeping these existing buildings part of the state sale of the Laconia property.
"The state of New Hampshire has committed to building a new state-of-the-art facility long-term while also ensuring a smooth transition process by requiring that a potential buyer of the property extend the current lease to avoid disruption of service to the Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid Association," the statement said.
"The entire Lakes Region community will benefit from the long-overdue redevelopment of this property, and we look forward to the mutual benefits that this solution provides!"
Safety Commissioner Robert Quinn has said a new building would provide needed improvements to its 911 center operation.
