BUCKLAND — Faced with a $331,936 shortfall on its budget for a new community pool, the Selectboard has scheduled a Special Town Meeting for Monday, July 25, at 7 p.m. at the Buckland Recreation Area on Ashfield Road (Route 112) to discuss funding options.
In a joint meeting last week, the Finance Committee and the Recreation Committee recommended the Selectboard schedule a Special Town Meeting for voters to consider reallocating money that had been budgeted for a new salt shed toward the pool and poolhouse construction. The former pool at the Buckland Recreation Area was closed in 2016 for safety reasons and later removed.
The pool project received bids from three construction companies. Westfield Construction Co. presented the lowest bid of $2,068,321, eclipsing Buckland’s budget of $1,971,717 for the pool.
Additionally, the town needs to set aside about 10% of the bid amount for possible contingencies. That totals an additional $206,832 needed. There is also $7,500 needed for on-site geotechnical work and $21,000 for Kuth Ranieri Architects’ contract. Totaling these figures, the town is looking to make up a $331,936 deficit.
Both Finance Committee and Recreation Committee members spoke about the $400,000 Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant that Buckland received in September. If the town does not use the money by June 30, 2023, it will be reallocated. Assessor Pamela Guyette said she spoke with the state, and there is no flexibility to extend the deadline.
In addition to the PARC grant, Special Town Meeting voters in October approved $1,263,104 for planning, designing and constructing the new pool and poolhouse. Additional money was raised from community donations.
All Selectboard members felt the decision to reallocate funding from the salt shed project was too large a decision to make independently.
“There is no way to make a decision as a three-person board,” Selectboard Chair Barry Del Castilho said.
Selectboard member Clint Phillips was skeptical about using the money from the salt shed project.
“This does not raise taxes right now, but it will lead to a down-the-line increase in taxes,” he said.
“This is a real question for the town,” Del Castilho said. “It could go either way.”
The Finance Committee and Recreation Committee have stressed that the pool project will be lost if the town does not allocate the extra money needed this year.
Contact Bella Levavi
at blevavi@recorder.com
or 413-930-4579.