The fourth and final article passed Tuesday night at Town Meeting was Article 33, which was to see if the Town will vote to “appropriate a sum of money to pay costs of design, construction, repair, renovation, furnishing and equipping of the Mary A. Alley Building” at 7 Widger Road.
There are many concerns that led to this funding request. For one, accessibility upgrades are needed throughout the whole building, and the existing elevator is not in service. Further, Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin said the building does not have a working sprinkler system, which is of great concern – especially since Town employees who work in there have had to use space heaters and window air conditioning units to address the winter cold and summer heat.
The total project cost is $6,230,000, but Benjamin explained that there was a previously authorized borrowing of $480,000 that has not yet been borrowed for this project. Thus, the total dollar amount requested at Town Meeting was $5,750,000.
Benjamin added that Sustainability Coordinator Logan Casey will be applying for a $250,000 ADA grant, which could help lower the total cost of the project.
Very few people spoke during the public comment period, but one joked his way through seemingly showing he favored the article.
“You open up an old building like this, and you’re not going to find good stuff,” he began. “So I wonder: Have you considered a new build? And maybe, frankly, a controlled burn?”
This caused the room to erupt in scattered laughter.
There were only 774 votes cast – which is about 1,000 fewer votes submitted than the vote on Article 23 regarding 3A zoning, which had happened about an hour earlier.
Regardless, with about 87% of the voters in favor of Article 33, the project will move forward with a town debt override on the June ballot to allow the design phase to begin.
