(July 6, 2017) Construction of the new headquarters for the Berlin Police Department at the corner of Flower Street and Route 376 is ahead of schedule, according to Town Administrator Laura Allen.
Workers are currently putting a roof on the building, which is about three times larger than the current structure, adjacent to Town Hall, downtown.
Allen said the old police station would be renovated and converted into additional offices for town services. Money for that was included in the fiscal year 2018 budget, which took effect on July 1.
“There have been some discussions of having planning [offices] move over here, so that when folks come in to get services from the town they can have more of a one-stop shop experience as opposed to what happens now, which is we escort them back and forth across the parking lot,” Allen said. “It’s not a big inconvenience, but I think it’s a little more customer-friendly if we have it all under one location.”
She said other parts of that building could also be used for storage.
With the new budget taking effect, Allen said the town would start work on several new feasibility studies, including an evaluation of the fire company’s needs and an analysis of town streets to determine which ones are most in need of repair. A water and sewer rate and capacity study is also planned.
“There’s funding for a number of studies in the budget, so right now what we’re doing is we’re putting together the requests for proposals so that we can shoot those out for the council to review and those projects to move forward,” she said.
Elsewhere in Berlin, Allen said the Berlin Activities Depot on Old Ocean City Boulevard is close to opening. She said a temporary certificate of occupancy was granted.
The Berlin Activities Depot is an expansion of Twisters, a gymnastics instruction operation on Route 113 in Berlin.
“The building itself is finished, we’re just making sure that they’re finishing up the landscape and doing what they need to tidy up the project before they get their final certificate of occupancy,” she said.
Allen said work is also progressing at the site of the new Berlin Library on Harrison Avenue. The town is having talks with county officials about moving a utility pole and electric lines near the site, she said.
“It’s not the town, per se — in this case we’re talking about Verizon/Comcast and a fiber-optic provider,” Allen said. “We’re just trying to work out some details with that. Aesthetically, we think it would look better without [the pole].”
On the issue of fiber optics, Allen said she has had some conversations with County Economic Development Director Merry Mears.
A backbone of fiber lines were installed in parts of Worcester County by the Maryland Broadband cooperative, but tying into that system would require a somewhat cost-prohibitive “last mile” connection that runs directly to government, business, or privately owned buildings.
“I have told Merry Mears if she’s looking for a pilot or a partner on that broadband project that we’d be more than happy to participate,” Allen said.
The Worcester County Commissioners briefly discussed fiber during a meeting in April, when Emergency Services Director Fred Webster brought up a proposed Worcester County Shared Communications Network.
Webster told the commissioners that emergency services were working on a next-generation 911 telephone system and an upgraded public safety radio network, both of which would require access to reliable, high-speed internet.
Workers are currently putting a roof on the building, which is about three times larger than the current structure, adjacent to Town Hall, downtown.
Allen said the old police station would be renovated and converted into additional offices for town services. Money for that was included in the fiscal year 2018 budget, which took effect on July 1.
“There have been some discussions of having planning [offices] move over here, so that when folks come in to get services from the town they can have more of a one-stop shop experience as opposed to what happens now, which is we escort them back and forth across the parking lot,” Allen said. “It’s not a big inconvenience, but I think it’s a little more customer-friendly if we have it all under one location.”
She said other parts of that building could also be used for storage.
With the new budget taking effect, Allen said the town would start work on several new feasibility studies, including an evaluation of the fire company’s needs and an analysis of town streets to determine which ones are most in need of repair. A water and sewer rate and capacity study is also planned.
“There’s funding for a number of studies in the budget, so right now what we’re doing is we’re putting together the requests for proposals so that we can shoot those out for the council to review and those projects to move forward,” she said.
Elsewhere in Berlin, Allen said the Berlin Activities Depot on Old Ocean City Boulevard is close to opening. She said a temporary certificate of occupancy was granted.
The Berlin Activities Depot is an expansion of Twisters, a gymnastics instruction operation on Route 113 in Berlin.
“The building itself is finished, we’re just making sure that they’re finishing up the landscape and doing what they need to tidy up the project before they get their final certificate of occupancy,” she said.
Allen said work is also progressing at the site of the new Berlin Library on Harrison Avenue. The town is having talks with county officials about moving a utility pole and electric lines near the site, she said.
“It’s not the town, per se — in this case we’re talking about Verizon/Comcast and a fiber-optic provider,” Allen said. “We’re just trying to work out some details with that. Aesthetically, we think it would look better without [the pole].”
On the issue of fiber optics, Allen said she has had some conversations with County Economic Development Director Merry Mears.
A backbone of fiber lines were installed in parts of Worcester County by the Maryland Broadband cooperative, but tying into that system would require a somewhat cost-prohibitive “last mile” connection that runs directly to government, business, or privately owned buildings.
“I have told Merry Mears if she’s looking for a pilot or a partner on that broadband project that we’d be more than happy to participate,” Allen said.
The Worcester County Commissioners briefly discussed fiber during a meeting in April, when Emergency Services Director Fred Webster brought up a proposed Worcester County Shared Communications Network.
Webster told the commissioners that emergency services were working on a next-generation 911 telephone system and an upgraded public safety radio network, both of which would require access to reliable, high-speed internet.