Fairfield Twp. police station, service building projects to wrap up in 2021

Fairfield Twp. Administrator Julie Vonderhaar called the projects “the first of their kind” in the township, especially for the service building as that department has never had a dedicated building.

“The more tools we give them the better they can take care of and serve the residents of the community,” she said. “They’ll just be more effective.”

About $2.5 million of the bond is dedicated to the service building project, which is nearly complete, Vonderhaar said. Interior work is all that’s needed to be finished before the certificate of occupancy can be issued, she said. That could happen in late February or early March.

“It’s looking great,” Vonderhaar said.

The police station project is a bit more extensive, and trustees increased the project’s budget to $1.65 million in June. There will be an addition of 3,500 more square feet, effectively doubling its size, and an interior remodeling. The project also includes creating nine offices, a new lobby, a records room, a secure property office, and a conference room.

The department has 23 full-time officers, and the building was constructed when it was a mostly part-time police agency.

Police Chief Robert Chabali said the project is needed as there is an inefficient workflow and are significant maintenance issues for the 18-year-old building.

Vonderhaar said the certificate of occupancy for the police department should come in August or September, though the department is still operating in the original footprint of the station.

“They have a barricade between the lobby and the addition, but once they get everything under roof they’ll knock that wall out and they’ll start (the remodel),” Vondarhaar said.

With the service building and police department projects headed for completion in 2021, Vonderhaar said the township can focus on other needs in the township, including staffing.

“Next year, we have very light capital equipment expenses,” she said. “In the past seven years, we’ve got our vehicles up to speed and worked on fulfilling capital equipment needs filled and updating policies and it’s all paid off,” she said. “Next year, we’ll get these projects done and we’ll look at staffing.”