Protecting Our Community. Planning Responsibly.

A website sharing facts and public documents about the Proposed Public Safety building in Princeton, Massachusetts.

Upcoming Vote for the Proposed Public Safety Building

Why This Matters

Police, fire, and EMS are the services residents depend on during emergencies.

Modern public safety departments require facilities that allow them to respond quickly, coordinate effectively, and protect both residents and first responders.

What Voters Should Know About Late-Breaking “Cost-Saving” Claims

For nearly a decade, the Town has studied, debated, and refined the proposed Public Safety Building. This process has included professional analysis, committee work, and multiple opportunities for public input.

Recently, a small group has suggested they have alternative ideas to reduce costs. However:

These individuals are not members of the Public Safety Building Committee
No detailed or actionable proposals have been presented publicly
Their ideas have consistently been described as “coming soon,” but have not materialized during the many years of open discussion
There has been no engagement with the committee or project team to evaluate these ideas in a meaningful way

Why Last Minute Proposals Are a Problem?

Town Meeting is not the place to introduce entirely new, unevaluated concepts for a project of this scale.

Last-minute proposals:

Cannot be properly vetted for safety, feasibility, or cost accuracy
Bypass the years of work already completed by professionals and volunteers
Create delays that will almost certainly increase total project costs due to inflation and construction escalation

Before you Vote, Get the Facts

The $14.7M “ALTERNATIVE” IS NOT A REAL PROJECT

No Plans

No architectural design
No engineering
No defined building size or scope

No Validation

Not reviewed by professionals
Not vetted by the Building Committee
Not publicly developed

No Guarantee

No contractor pricing
No competitive bids
No accountability for cost overruns

Voting Information
The project must pass both votes to move forward. Please show up and make your voice heard!

Special Town Meeting

April 6th
The Vote passed!

Ballot Initiative and Town Election

Monday May 11
12pm to 8pm

Thomas Prince School

How Can You Get Informed?

There is a lot of information out on the Internet, which can feel very overwhelming

Visit the Public Safety Page on the Town of Princeton's Website.
Attend a Public Safety Building Committee Meeting
Read about the Tax Impact for the Proposed Public Safety Building
Read the Public Safety Building Committee's FAQs
Visit the Friends of Public Safety Website. This group has condensed a lot of the information on the Town's website onto their page.

Consider supporting PEFA - a 501(c)(3) charity with a donation. Your donation helps to share factual information and keep the community informed.

Princeton Citizen Awareness Fact Check

A lot of information is circulating, and the goal is to help dispel some of the misinformation.

Myth #1: The town doesn’t need a new public safety building.

Fact:
Police, fire, and EMS currently operate out of facilities that were built decades ago and were not designed for modern emergency response, equipment, or staffing levels. Updated facilities help ensure first responders can operate safely and efficiently.

Myth #2: This project is just about building a nicer building.

Fact:
Public safety facilities must meet modern requirements for emergency communications, training, equipment and evidence storage, and disaster resilience. The goal is to support reliable emergency response for the community, not aesthetics.

Myth #3: The building will cost $30M

Fact:
The total project cost estimate is $16,811,146 (includes contingencies and is subject to the lowest bid). There is a $1M Federal Grant, and the expected Debt Exclusion request will be $15,914,697.

The expected impact for a home valued at $598,967 would be $639 starting in 2030. Please read the Building Costs breakdown for the full details.

Myth #4: Saying “no” will save money.

Fact:
Delaying infrastructure projects typically increases long-term costs due to inflation, emergency repairs, and continued maintenance of outdated systems.
If major systems fail, emergency repairs may cost more than planned improvements.

Deferring a decision does not eliminate the underlying need.

Princeton Citizen Awareness is very important

There is a Cost of Doing Nothing

Loss of a fire station on the west side of town if the current building becomes unusable, leading to longer response times and higher property insurance costs for residents.
Delayed ambulance response due to limited apparatus bay clearance, which can slow emergency vehicles leaving the building.
Police officers taken off patrol when transporting detainees to other facilities because the current building does not include a holding cell, reducing available patrol coverage.
Increased risk of costly lawsuits against the Town related to employee safety, detainee rights, or building code compliance.
Difficulty retaining trained public safety staff, after the Town invests significant resources in hiring and training, if working conditions remain outdated or unsafe.
Ongoing spending on temporary repairs and equipment replacement due to exposure to the elements and aging infrastructure.
Potential loss of grant funding because current facilities do not meet modern standards or compliance requirements.

About

This website is an independent, citizen-led initiative and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Town of Princeton or any town committee. The content provided is for informational purposes only and is intended to share factual information regarding public safety facilities.

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