Milford’s first responding law enforcement vehicles are stored in this space behind town hall, where, during the winter, important instruments like the computer, heart defibrillator and preliminary breath test devices are subject to subfreezing temperatures. This is just one of the many infrastructure issues the town study will seek to address.

Milford Town Council could vote as soon as May 11 on whether or not to hire Troyer Group of Mishawaka to study town facilities and the possible construction of an emergency first responder station combining fire, police and emergency medical technician personnel. The study would also examine relocation of utilities to the current fire station. According to the proposal Troyer submitted March 27, the study would cost $12,700.

The idea was first proposed by council member Dan Cochran at the monthly meeting Feb. 9. That meeting heard discussion about a new roof for the community building, shelter for police cars and the need for generators. This was on top of long-standing problems such as lack of storage space at the utilities buildings and “infrastructure issues” EMTs were facing.

“We’ve discussed a lot of dollars tonight,” said Cochran. He expressed concern the town may end up with an inefficient “piecemeal” approach and suggested the “smart buck” might be to investigate a new building that answered all of the town’s needs.

But Cochran’s interest in a town study also stems from a concern about Milford’s future growth. “We’re in a period of expansion, I believe,” stated Cochran by phone Tuesday. He cited TruHorizons, the joint Cargill Trupointe venture that will add a large grain elevator to what is “already a good-sized facility” as one example. “The future looks promising,” he added. But he worries infrastructure improvement isn’t keeping pace. The Nappanee tornado of 2007, the grain elevator explosion at LaCrosse April 16 and a recent winter storm that saw the Milford community building housing dozens of motorists are, in Cochran’s opinion, examples of the sorts of things the town needs to be prepared for as it grows.

“Other towns have merged facilities … there are side benefits I noticed from being more modernized … it impacts people coming to our town,” he explained. By taking a piecemeal approach, said Cochran, “We were being reactionary as opposed to being visionary.”

Though he did express some “shock” at the $12,7000 price-tag, Council President Bob Crockford said he understood Cochran’s desire to “see if we can do it all at once” and that it might “save us money in the long run.”

The scope of services of the proposed town facilities study, submitted by Project Manager Michael Reese, who was present at the April 13 town council meeting, includes: Inventory and analysis of “existing conditions, zoning, codes regulatory agency requirements;” focus group meetings with stakeholders and groups such as town council, police department, fire department, streets and utilities; a public meeting to give residents “input on the planning process; draft recommendations, costs prioritization; a review meeting; a final master plan report which will include recommendations, preliminary project costs, priorities and phasing, action items and responsible entities, and opportunities for funding.”

“Opportunities for funding” is a priority for council member Doug Ruch. “The annual budget has been cut the last two years,” he noted. As for the existing buildings, Ruch believes “they help to tie the community together.” He added the council needs to be “conservative in what we do.”

After hearing Troyer Group’s proposal April 13, the council tabled the issue due to Cochran’s absence. Feedback from the Milford Redevelopment Commission will also be sought before voting.