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GRAFTON, Mass. – The Grafton Board of Selectmen has been advocating for a $4.5 million repair project for the Municipal Center and is inviting the public to take a look for themselves.
Residents who want to tour the Municipal Center to see the need for repairs may arrange for a tour by calling the Selectmen's office at 508-939-5335, ext. 100, to schedule a time, Town Administrator Tim McInerney said.
Over the past few weeks, Selectmen have been meeting with various boards and holding outreach meetings about their proposed improvement project, which would be paid for without raising the tax rate by using a combination of surplus funding from the construction of the new Grafton High School, stabilization funds and utility rebates. Also included are about $1.7 million in repairs to school boilers, with the energy savings slated to help with costs.
Selectmen will meet with School Committee on Monday to discuss the plan. Their final public outreach meeting is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Community Barn.
The proposal will be brought before October Town Meeting.
Comments (6)
Questions that need to be answered:
Is this the right priority project for Grafton right now? The improved energy options for the school seams valid because of the savings, but do we really need the upgrades to the Municipal Center that are being heavily sold?
Why are both these two projects being bundled into one big project? If we split this "Energy Project" into three projects 1) Improving energy options of the schools and 2) Needed Municipal Center repairs 3) Wanted Municipal Center Upgrades - then we would have clearer, cleaner options to vote on instead of the bundled confusion of improvements, repairs and upgrades we have now.
Do we really need a brand new $3+ million "Lexus" HVAC system or can we purchase alternative suitable options for considerably less? Does the heat not work now? Do the window AC units not work? Why do we need one massive centralized system, cant we just replace the bulky floor units with wall style units like the Japanese use prolifically?
How can we commit to a project based on using $1.3million of surplus school building funds if we cant even verify there will be $1.3 million available? Is this the best or appropriate use of these funds? This sounds to me like a person buying a car based on the "potential" of a future raise that never materializes. Even if it does, is this the "highest and best use" of these funds for the town or is it just the preferred project of a few?
How can we count $75k in annual savings from a solar field project that hasn't even broken ground yet? What happens if this build is delayed or does not even happen at all? Wouldn't it be more prudent to use savings from a project once we actually are receiving those savings?
Is another 15 year bond really in the best interest of the town right now with other major projects hanging over the town, i.e. improvements to DPW, library, Sewer system not to mention the numerous projects that would help drive economic development in Grafton and actually bring in revenue.
Overall, I see benefit to the school energy improvements, I can not at this time say that I can see the need or benefit of the rest of the project nor for that matter the multiple unsure sources of "funding".
Recycled project, still too many questions.
This certainly sounds like "Honeywell Light." Why doesn't the Building Inspector inspect DPW - that's another story we have heard before and should be addressed.
The Municipal Center does have needs but do we really have the funds to do what is being proposed? Or is this another,"Sorry, there are more expenses involved and we need to raise your taxes."
Haven't heard anything about the Library needs recently. Maybe because we had the Head Librarian, Chilren's Librarian, and several Trustrees resign or retire this project will again be tabled, and the Municipal Center will become the Magic Building - as it suddenly can be remodeled without worrying about abestos removal, bringing the entire builing up to code, and won't cost any money!
And why do we have all that surplus around when we seemed to have no money last year? Are the schools being squeezed to give up what they might, in fact, need?
Rather than a tour, I'd like some answers.
I agree with Mark D....Go to an outreach meeting or better yet call one of your 5 Selectmen. Get answers and you might be pleasantly surprised.
Go to a meeting and ask questions if you really care that much.
If something is important enough to one, that individual will find the time in their schedule.
This is the same proposal as last year, when the Selectmen said the same thing "it would not raise your taxes", but this year, an additional $1 million has been introduced into the scheme, by taking the extra $1 million in borrowed funds from the school building committee.
Obviously, last years scheme was short on funding and would have penalized town budgets, including the school budget. Which is what I've been telling everyone for over a year now!
This proposal is still a leaky ship, that can drag on the town's operating budget. It's important that more questions be asked at town meeting before one votes in favor of an additional financial burden.
I cannot attend these meetings due to work so I want to comment about this situation. I wrote here before that I cannot believe that money is going to be spent on any town building without taking care of the DPW Garage on Upton St. I frequently do my Recycling there and I have had the chance to see that building inside and out many times. I also have been to the Municipal Center many times as well and there is no comparison between the two buildings. What does the Municipal Center need? Heat? I propose that people who have the chance go to the Highway and the Municipal Center on the coldest day and see who has better heat. Is the inside of the MC covered with soot and the air quality so bad that it is difficult to breath because of exhaust fumes? Are there parts of the ceilings falling down at the MC, because there are at the Garage. Does the exterior of the MC have crumbling Cement falling off the walls? This is an outrage in my opinion, I am a taxpayer in this town and generations of my family have been also. I am sick of seeing money go where it is not needed and the Town should be ashamed of operating a building in that condition and putting Employees in such a place. I'm sure there are numerous violations and problems in that building. Why is our Building inspector not checking town buildings for problems first rather than checking and enforcing problems with Homes. I wrote before that if the Powers that be had to have their meetings there that building would be in far better condition.