ORANGE — After extensive debate, Orange residents voted to permit the town to apply for a grant that would finance the construction costs of expanding Wheeler Memorial Library.
Prior to the vote, dissenting residents and town officials expressed concerns about prematurely applying for funding without the town’s approval of the construction itself, balancing town funds to support the construction and a lack of transparency surrounding the project.
“A vote here today will in effect put the library as our number one priority,” said Finance Committee member Robert Stack, citing a number of projects the town is supporting, like building a public safety complex, sewer complex and conducting a feasibility study on the elementary school. “We’re not going to be able to afford a school. We’re not going to be able to afford a sewer complex.”
Maria Bull, a member of the Orange Public Libraries’ board of trustees and the Library Building Committee, noted that Article 12 did not concern town funding.
“This vote today is really only to allow us to apply for funding,” she said. “None of this is costing the town anything.”
Library Director Jessica Magelaner said previously that the intention is to apply for a Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ grant that would cover 40 to 50 percent of construction costs. As the proposed design stands, the renovation would include a new roof and expansion featuring a circulation workroom, two bathrooms, fiction and non-fiction book stacks, a room for young adults and a bookdrop for fragile items. However, Daniel Pallotta, who is overseeing the design phase of the project, could not yet provide a projected cost.
Magelaner said previously that Orange successfully applied for an 80-percent grant in 2003, but voters struck it down in the final stage because they did not want to finance the remaining 20 percent. These circumstances led to concern from Board of Selectmen Vice Chairman Ryan Mailloux, about what might happen if the town struck down the construction phase again.
“The state already looks at us as a town that doesn’t know what it wants before it applies for grants,” he said. “That is very discouraging … I would ask the people in this room to consider if you would apply for a mortgage before you consider buying a house.”
Some residents, like Denise Andrews, didn’t want to see the opportunity for grant help not be taken.
“I am thrilled finally that the library has this in front of us,” she said. “If Orange doesn’t get its oar in the water, we’re going to be left behind again.”
While the positive vote by the majority gives the town permission to apply for the grant, the construction portion of the project will need to be put to another vote before June 17, Pallotta said.
Article 6, which proposed changing 16 parcels of Zone C property off of Route 2 to Zone B property to support commercial and industrial development, was also debated at length.
“I think developing our lower end while maintaining our north end is key,” Mailloux said.
Town Administrator Diana Schindler said a ‘No’ vote or postponing the article would delay the town’s efforts for economic development. However, some residents were concerned the change would produce more empty commercial spaces in town, believing the area can’t support more industry. The article was postponed by majority vote, with many residents hoping to gain more information before voting.
Other articles that were adopted, many by unanimous vote, involve transferring: $175,000 from the Water Department’s retained earnings to fund Department of Environmental Protection-required upgrades; $10,000 from the Water Department’s retained earnings to pay expenses; $40,200 from the Sewer Department’s retained earnings to pay expenses; and $45,219 from free cash to purchase a 2017 Ford utility cruiser for the police department.
Additionally, the town updated multiple bylaws supporting better enforcement for the Board of Health and the animal control officer, allowed the Board of Selectmen to acquire a municipal parking lot at Orange Innovation Center, and paid outstanding bills for the Department of Public Works and Water Department.