NEW YORK MILLS, N.Y. (WKTV) - Since 1988, the New Hartford Police Department and the Town of New Hartford Court have been sharing the former highway garage on Kellogg Road. Now both entities say that it is time to move.

The building the town is looking to buy is at 19 Campion Road next to Madden Concrete. Town officials formed a committee to plan the move and layout the cost. However, some taxpayers said Wednesday that it is not a new building that is needed, but rather a new idea.

During a public meeting, New Hartford Police Chief Raymond Philo said the current municipal building is unsafe and crowded.
New Hartford Town Judge William Virkler said that crime has increased in the town so much,since Consumer Square and Route 840 were built and the court room is too small.

Former Chairman of the planning board and head of the committee to find a new building, Joe Yagey, says other options were considered but buying the building was the best. "We tried to get the solution that handles the problem we have today, and had the least amount of tax impact within the town," said Yagey.

The tax impact on the $1.7 million building would be an average of $12 per year on a home assessed at $100,000.

Frank Montecalvo lives in the village of New York Mills and the Town of New Hartford. Montecalvo says no matter the increase, it is not worth it to him, since he will not be using the building. "For me I get nothing of value for that extra money in taxes. The town gets a new facility, but do I get? It's a duplication," said Montecalvo. Montecalvo and other taxpayers urged the board to considered a consolidation plan and share a new court building with neighboring towns and cities.

"Utica and New Hartford depend on each other. They really need to start thinking as part of the same community as opposed to separate municipalities," Montecalvo said.

Yagey says that in time, consolidation is the answer. However, it will take too long to develop such ideas. Instead, he says that a fix a is needed now. "It could be a dangerous situation over there with the existing security the way it is," said Yagey. "If something serious happens in the near future, the cost to this town and the loss of any kind will far exceed that building."

If the town board goes ahead with this idea, they will put it up for referendum, allowing all the tax payers to vote on the issue. Town Supervisor Earle Reed says that is not something the board has to do, rather something they want to do.