Portion of roof collapses at Rotterdam police station Friday, June 6, 2008 By Justin Mason (Contact) Gazette Reporter
ROTTERDAM — Gallons of rainwater cascaded through the Rotterdam Police Department after a massive hole broke through the station's aging roof this morning.
The water had collected on top of the station during a heavy downpour and left one of the roof drains clogged. Eventually, the weight of the water collapsed a section of the roof, leaving areas on three floors inundated.
"We had a considerable amount of water leak into the building," Lt. Michael Brown said.
Brown said the water broke through ceiling tiles on all three floors, damaging areas inside the courtroom and booking room. Some of the department's computer equipment, including the device officers use to digitally fingerprint suspects, was soaked by the leak.
Brown said department personnel were able to continue operations there despite the mess created by the leak. Power was shut down to the courtroom and justice clerks were sent home for the day, town officials said. There were no court cases scheduled Friday.
Town officials recently unanimously approved a $35,900 study to design a new public safety facility. Town Supervisor Steve Tommasone said the collapse highlights the pressing need for the town to replace the aging station, which housed the Jefferson School decades ago.
"The town has known for many years the police department has been inadequate to serve the public safety needs of Rotterdam," he said. "We're at a point where the community has grown, we need a new police department that addresses today's technology and the burgeoning court needs.
ROTTERDAM Water pours into police building Hole in aged roof dumps gallons into courtroom, booking area BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net
Gallons of rain water cascaded through the Rotterdam Police Department after a big hole opened through the station’s aging roof. Water had collected on top of the station off Princetown Road during a heavy downpour Friday morning, which left one of the roof drains clogged. Eventually, the weight of the water collapsed a section of the roof, leaving areas on three floors inundated. “We had a considerable amount of water leak into the building,” Lt. Michael Brown said. “It’s a mess.” Brown said the water broke through ceiling tiles on all three floors, damaging areas inside of the courtroom and the booking room. Some of the department’s computer equipment, including the device officers use to digitally fingerprint suspects, was soaked. Brown said department personnel were able to continue operations there despite the mess created by the leak. Power was shut down to the courtroom and the justice clerks were sent home for the day; there were no court cases scheduled Friday. Town officials recently approved a $35,900 study to design a new public safety facility. Supervisor Steve Tommasone said the collapse highlights the pressing need for the town to replace the aging station, which once housed an elementary school decades ago. “It continues to point to my position that we need a new police department,” he said Friday. For years, town police have grumbled about the conditions at their station. Rotterdam Police have occupied the three-story brick building since the early 1970s. Routinely, the courtroom is filled beyond capacity, spilling people into a narrow corridor. Police have also voiced safety concerns about moving prisoners up the stairs between the court and the department’s basement holding cell. But the physical condition of the building has been one of the big gripes for the 44-member department. Some of the most persistent complaints focus on the station’s roof, which often leaks. “We’ve had several problems with the roof before,” Brown said. Brown was unsure how much it will cost to repair the building or if the department would need to replace the equipment that got wet, which are topics for next week. Tommasone said he intends to move forward with securing funding for the new station once the design study is returned. He suggested part of the cost could be defrayed through state grants or if the town, county and surrounding municipalities consider locating a countywide dispatcher in the new building. “We’re at a point where the community has grown, we need a new police department that addresses today’s technology and the burgeoning court needs,” he said. “We’ve moved beyond where we’re saying it would be nice to have a new public safety building.”
Mr. Tommasone's remarks make it sound like SOMEBODY OTHER THAN THE TOWN is holding up progress. For crying out loud, man, how much must we endure before something gets done on ANYTHING in this town? This, like many other issues, is not a new one but a long-lingering one. It's embarassing.
For crying out loud, man, how much must we endure before something gets done on ANYTHING in this town? This, like many other issues, is not a new one but a long-lingering one. It's embarassing.
How high do you want your taxes?
We just completed an engineering study and received an estimate to add on to our woefully inadequate town hall. The cost is approximately 1.2 million. Believe me when I tell you, this is a modest addition. Our highway building is in even worst shape. It is embarassing but at the same time the costs for municipalities to do a project like the police station is huge. (GO UNIONS) I read these threads and agree with most of what is said but implementing these ideas will cost taxpayers. I can feel the Rotterdam Town Boards pain. Sewers, drainage, rebuild of town buildings, all needs to be done. The cost of not doing these things.......usually larger. As an elected official I can tell you how agonizing it is to KNOW what needs to be done, but when it comes down to it no one wants to pay for it. People in Mariaville desperately wanted sewers....we did it and it was nothing more than a nightmare. We spent hundreds of thousands extra in legal fees and easement costs because people would not provide the town an easement to lay the mains. The residents in our other district provided the easements without cost.
You had to PAY them to put sewer lines in for THEIR use??
Welcome to America and the "Whopper" ideas---have it your way.......I fail to see the info pushing of those in charge, of those things.....all the politicians seem to want is to have 'a good history' with a ballpark named after them......I'm not pointing fingers at anyone specific but, things of this nature warrant unpopular info......
back in the day when I was younger...moving to Duanesburg meant having your own space, taking care of your own s#$% and stuff like that.....now as folks clamor to 'more quiet' areas, it becomes congested and 'things need to get done'.......well, in Rotterdam here, we all sit in our own s#$% all very very close together thanks to GE/AlCO etc, and we are left holding the bag........the changing of the guards has taken place and stuff needs to get done......will it cost? sure(due to those unscrupulous dealings of state regs)......
I say we suck it up and own where we live and if that means brow beating those leaders from the top of this State to our local yokels fine......it will all just cost more later,,,, as usual.......
we need to rid ourselves of the monkey on our backs........
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
ROTTERDAM Cops salvage gear but roof needs work BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net
Rotterdam Police were able to salvage their computer equipment soaked by rainwater last week, but will likely need to replace the damaged roof of their station. Lt. Michael Brown said all of the equipment affected after the roof collapse appears to be in working order. He said contractors were able to clean much of the mess left when water cascaded through the station Friday. “For the most part, it’s cleaned up,” he said, However, there are still no estimates on how much the damage will cost the town. Brown said workers were able to temporarily patch the damaged area, but would eventually need to do an overhaul of the whole roof. “Eventually, they’re going to have to rip up the roof and look under there to see what damage was done,” he said. Brown said power was restored to the Justice Court and workers had returned Monday. He said police are now waiting on an insurance adjuster to tally up the cost of the damage. Water had collected on top of the station during a heavy downpour Friday morning, which left one of the roof drains clogged. Eventually, the weight of the water collapsed a section of the roof, leaving areas on three floors soaked. Town officials recently approved a $35,900 study to design a new public safety facility, but haven’t yet secured funding for the project. The architecture firm conducting the study is expected to return a design of the new structure later this year. Brown was unsure if Chief James Hamilton would bring up the station during the Town Board meeting Wednesday.
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