Fredonia Police Chief David Price wants a new and improved evidence room. However, with space at a premium in the ancient Village Hall/Opera House, that could cause a cascading effect forcing the Board of Trustees to move meetings and hinder Fredonia Access’ broadcasting.

Price, backed by Mayor Michael Ferguson, made the request to a trustees workshop last week. He wants to move the room to Fredonia Access’ current space.

“Chief Price notified us that he has been awarded money to purchase equipment that needed to be separated for many different reasons,” Trustee Jon Espersen said. “One is space, (there is also) a safety issue. After the meeting, the mayor, Trustee (Michelle) Twichell, and I went down and looked at the space where (Fredonia Access head) Chip (Riewaldt) is now, and I thought that we were all in agreement that would be the space they would be using for the equipment.”

Price said, “Just waiting for confirmation. I can’t order anything until I have the room because I have no place to store anything.”

Espersen asked him to discuss what the equipment is and what it is used for. Price paused and said, “Currently I don’t have an evidence room. My evidence storage facility is the sprinkler room for the opera house, which is approximately three feet by 10. I am asking for space on the same floor as the police department, which is currently occupied by the cable advisory board. The things we deal with and manage need to be handled with extreme care and stored appropriately. I not only need space but I need a room that I can keep separate from the police department, that I can ventilate with outside air, that I can process the evidence in a manner that doesn’t contaminate the whole police department.”

Price added the equipment he wants would be paid for from a grant and “a local benefactor who wants to remain anonymous at this time.” The equipment would include security cameras and something to “safely manage, process, and package the evidence before it is put away.”

The decrepit quarters the police department is forced to use does not currently have ventilation adequate for safe evidence handling. Price noted evidence handling currently risks contaminating his entire police station.

There’s no doubt that one of the things Price was referring to was fentanyl, the dangerous, disgusting drug ravaging the streets of America. An even more deadly relative of heroin, fentanyl can throw its handlers into comas and kill them.

“It can’t be in other places of the building because I don’t have the staff to have other people in other areas,” Price went on. “They need to be accessible for calls so they can respond appropriately.”

Ferguson said, “We’ve discussed the possibility of moving our meetings into the (third floor) courtrooms. …it’s just setting up between the two court schedules which we’re able to do. It’s safer, there’s a metal detector up there, which I think unfortunately is going to be a necessity in the future.” The mayor added it has more space and a negotiating room which could be used for executive sessions.

“Chip, on the other hand, has an extensive amount of equipment,” he continued. “Part of that service is part of our agreement with Spectrum. My initial idea — and we know that we’re under the gun because this has to be done by August so we don’t lose this opportunity — there’s a set of towers down there… that would cost a tremendous amount to be moved. Can they be moved? Yes. Was that in the budget to be moved? No. Is there a way of building a room around what’s down there and give Dave the amount of money,” trailing off.

“Police and fire are paramount to the safety of this community,” Ferguson added, lecturing on the dangers of fentanyl.

He concluded, “Can we find a way to have those towers down there, build around it, and this is where the controversy comes in, moving cable into this room and trustees to the third floor? It is possible. Time is of the essence.”

Dave Fridmann, taping the workshop for Fredonia Access, was asked his opinion if it could all get done by August. “It depends on the nature of the actual container that Dave needs built. … If we need to move the towers, if you say, by August, whatever. We just need to make a plan to do it and hire whoever is going to do it.”

Fridmann went on, “It’s the safety of the community and I think you shouldn’t even hesitate to move forward on that, in my opinion. Now we just need to get into the practical portion. You need to let us know where we’re going and where you want us to set it up, and then we can start making a realistic plan for what’s going to happen.”

Espersen asked Ferguson if trustee meetings and workshops would conflict with court. Ferguson said that after “preliminary discussions” with court officials, it would be easier for the trustees to move their dates.

“This has got to be accelerated,” he later added. “I took a pretty extensive look at it and I’d like you guys to look at it ASAP.”

Trustees said they would discuss the matter further at Monday’s meeting.