Town Hall Space Needs – Looking Ahead From February 2013
A town space needs committee, appointed by the Selectmen in 2011, started over again in 2012 after the defeat of the town hall warrant article intended to approve $135,000 for the continuation of the Design Development phase of an expanded Town Hall. (There were some new members appointed to this committee). A group of concerned citizens attended all of their meetings and provided substantial questions, comments, recommendations and documented materials which were included in the draft final space needs report that was presented to the Selectmen in November 2012. From that report the Selectmen have created the warrant article which will go before the voters on March 12, 2013. (see below)
If this warrant article passes then it is hoped that a new Building Committee will be formed by the Board of Selectmen.  After watching how the town managed the construction of the Safety Building and the lost year after the AG Architect Report and failed 2012 Warrant Article, several citizens have spoken at Selectmen’s meetings and at the Deliberative Session and have written letters requesting that this committee include people with professional architectural, engineering construction and financial experience related to the creation of institutional quality buildings.  The goal of the concerned citizens who provided in- put during 2012 was to help prevent repeating past mistakes and assure that those selected for a new Building Committee are interested and have the time to devote to this important task over the next several years. The Selectmen have also been requested to support a schedule whereby adequate opportunities for public in- put would be provided before the Building Committee.
In March 2014 voters will be presented with a final space needs program and choice of at least two schematic drawings. Options will be presented on renderings of Town Hall expansion choices and realistic cost estimates. Citizens will likely be voting on one of the designs. With approval from the voters, the design process would continue with the Design Development and the Construction Documents phases. The outcome of those would then allow requests for competing bids from general contractors for the renovation, restoration and expansion of Town Hall. Included in the resulting Warrant Article would be the cost estimates for the restoration of the auditorium (great hall) and stage, two curvilinear front stairs and other areas of the original Town Hall. Also included in the article would be the cost estimates to do the necessary maintenance and upgrade to the building including wiring, roof structure upgrade, insulation, new storm windows and insulation around existing windows.
In March 2015 voters would be presented with the projected final full building project costs for the above work and, if that warrant article passes, construction/restoration would begin as soon as a building contractor is chosen.
If all goes according to the above schedule, in the year 2016, at long last, the additional new Town Hall offices space, along with the restoration and renovation of the original town hall would be completed and open to the public.
