The Town of Montague special Town Meeting is being asked to endorse a question to the voters to spend $11,146,762 for a new public works facility. Based on the available minutes from the Facility Planning Committee this was not as open and transparent as has been recently promoted.
There is no record of complying with the Open Meeting Law requirement to record all votes taken, especially the annual requirement to elect a chair and other officers. There are no agendas posted on the internet, and minutes from only 12 meetings are posted.
The Planning Committee knew, according to their own minutes, that $5 million to $5.5 million was what they should expect to get approval for from Town Meeting, yet there is no indication that they tried to meet that budget number.
Using three separate methods of calculation, I came up with a figure of about $4 million to complete the facility. First, using the construction avoidance approach, they could have gone after an existing building that would meet the needs. Just such a building (Hallmark Auditorium) in the Industrial Park, assessed at $1.8 million was available. After asking the question three times and getting a different answer each time, the minutes of another meeting reflect that the main reason they did not investigate this was because it would take a building off the tax rolls. If we add the value of 30 years of lost taxes at the current assessment, we get roughly $21 million. Combining the assessed price of the building with the lost taxes puts us at $3.9 million. Yes, some renovation might be needed, but not $7.2 million worth.
Using a cost comparison method, I looked at the new MassDOT facility in Erving. I agree that it is only similar and not exactly what we need, but it is reasonably close. Even if we double the cost of that project, we are looking at $3.4 million, adding some modifications we are still not looking at $7.8 million of adjustments. Lastly, looking at commercially available steel structure buildings, not unlike the hangars at the airport or the Erving MassDOT structures, the cost to make a 200-foot by 60-foot building is around $250,000 with a heated pad. The cost of 4 of those is $1 million and would provide more square footage and flexibility than the current committee proposal. Even adding all the necessary plumbing, heating, ventilation, locker room, administrative spaces, new workbenches, furniture, and fixtures, the project cost would be well under $3 million.
The plan calls for storing the vehicles inside, but (to use their own words) “the real benefits are more nebulous.” Did they consider using block heaters for the trucks for the less than 30 days a year they are needed? It looks like they got all their data from a single source and without regard for budget.
It seems to me that we have been given a sales pitch that should end with “but wait, if you act now …” Spending $11.1 million is not something this town can afford. It will place library additions and upgrades, as well as those for a Senior Center, in jeopardy for lack of funding capacity. There are ways to get what we, the people, need at a fraction of the cost of what they (the committee) want.
Peter Golrick
Town Meeting Member,
Precinct 2, Millers Falls