Keene Officials Weigh Investment in Automated Bathroom Solution

City officials in Keene are evaluating a potential $442,000 investment in a self-cleaning restroom facility for downtown.

City officials in Keene are evaluating a potential $442,000 investment in a self-cleaning restroom facility for downtown, citing long-term cost savings as a key benefit. The city's Public Works Director, Don Lussier, presented findings comparing the proposed automated bathroom to the Portland Loo, which costs $350,000 to install but would incur higher annual maintenance costs.

Lussier highlighted that the Portland Loo, despite its lower initial price, could require approximately $10,000 more each year for upkeep, primarily due to the increased need for staff maintenance. He emphasized the benefits of the automated option, which autonomously cleans the restroom and includes a timer to limit usage and discourage loitering, requiring only bi-daily checks from staff to ensure supplies are replenished.

The ongoing analysis reveals that maintaining a Portland Loo would require an annual expense of around $45,000 as a result of the frequent cleaning needed, compared to the estimated $35,310 annual cost for the self-cleaning model. Lussier pointed out that a standard restroom facility would demand even more resources, necessitating cleaning twice daily, which is not feasible with the city's current staffing levels.

Currently, Keene has public restrooms only at City Hall and the library, and had previously closed a public facility at the transportation center due to vandalism issues. The proposed automated restroom is part of Keene's Capital Improvement Program and is tentatively scheduled for fiscal year 2028, although both the project's timing and costs are subject to change following City Council deliberations.

During a recent Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee meeting, Councilor Bryan Lake raised concerns about the substantial investment, acknowledging ongoing discussions about a public restroom to help address local homelessness issues. He noted that such a high expense is difficult to justify, especially considering potential fluctuations in construction costs over the next couple of years.

The committee unanimously endorsed the Capital Improvement Program, which will be presented to the full City Council for a vote next Thursday. While no definitive resolution was reached regarding the bathroom project during the meeting, there was a consensus among committee members on the necessity of addressing the restroom issue in the community.