GILL — The 106 voters in attendance at the first segment of Gill’s Annual Town Meeting on Monday voted in favor of all seven warrant articles, including sending a $3.78 million roof replacement at Gill Elementary School on to the May 18 town election, and a one-year moratorium on battery energy storage systems and data centers.
Inside the packed second floor of Town Hall, residents learned about the roof replacement at Gill Elementary in Article 3, which includes a standing seam metal roof and additional building updates to bring it into compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. The article required a two-thirds majority and passed with a 94-5 vote.
With Article 3 passing, this means a debt-exclusion vote will come before the town on Monday, May 18. The ballot question will ask voters to allow the town to temporarily raise property taxes to pay off the 15-year bond that will be used for the project. Gill will be reimbursed up to 77.74% through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), covering $2.51 million of the project cost and the eligible contingency budget.
Gill will be expected to fund $830,716, but the town may also have to cover some ineligible project contingency costs. The Finance Committee unanimously recommended the article.
Gill has been pursuing acceptance to the MSBA’s Accelerated Repair Program since 2017. It was announced that this project was accepted into the program in October 2024. In December 2024, Special Town Meeting voters approved using $50,000 from the general stabilization fund for a feasibility study and schematic design for the new roof.
To help voters understand the scope of the project, members of the Gill Elementary School Roof Replacement Committee spoke, along with Jeremy Toal, integrated services project manager at GRLA Architects, who outlined the current roof’s conditions, plans for the new roof and the cost of the project.
The new roof would have a greater lifespan compared to the current asphalt roof, which has experienced delamination and granular loss, and has broken or lost shingles, failing seams and a number of other defects.
Gill Elementary School Roof Replacement Committee member Rob Marcalow explained the cost benefit of a metal roof. If the town were to replace its asphalt roof with another asphalt roof, it would require two replacements over 50 years, compared to a metal roof that has a lifespan of more than 50 years.
Also included in the project scope are the ADA improvements, which include adding ramps for door access, interior doorway reconfigurations and revising access from the parking lot to the building, among others.
The first year of the 15-year bond would result in an extra $204 on property taxes for the average single-family homeowner in Gill.
Some voters shared hesitancy over the cost impact, if construction costs are going to increase over the next few years and if the state is truly committed to reimbursements.
“What is the guarantee of us getting that funding for this project? It’s been seven years now. Is it going to take another 10 years to get this funding approved?” Doug Smith asked.
Claire Chang, chair of the Gill Elementary School Roof Replacement Committee and the Gill Finance Committee, explained that the MSBA signed an agreement for this project and its funding back in December, and the seven-year timeline was for the town to be accepted to put in an application before the state made a commitment to the project.
“The money is there — it’s not like it’s a wish list,” Chang said.
Resident Terri Rice pointed out that there needs to be consideration of Gill’s other capital needs, including a roof replacement or repair at the Riverside Municipal Building. Rice also expressed concern over how the economy, in its current state and in the future, may impact people’s ability to pay.
On the other hand, resident Sue Kramer said a roof replacement on a school is “an essential thing” that makes sense to do now, rather than down the line when it’s more expensive.
Bylaw changes
Following the approval of Article 3, the final articles all related to bylaw changes.
Article 4 updates the definition of manufactured housing; Article 5 regulates accessory dwelling units (ADUs); Article 6 incorporates updated floodplain regulations to be in compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements; and Article 7 adopts a one-year moratorium on the development of data centers or battery energy storage systems.
Each of these bylaw changes passed unanimously, but not without some discussion, especially the moratoriums. Town Counsel Donna MacNicol explained the one pertaining to battery energy storage systems will likely not be accepted by the state Attorney General’s Office.
“Battery energy storage systems are considered solar systems and are protected by Chapter 48, Section 3,” MacNicol said. “So, they will say this is a prohibition against solar and so, they won’t approve this.”
Tim Storrow of the Planning Board explained the rationale for bringing the bylaw forward is to give the town time to develop its own guidelines and regulations around battery energy storage systems and data centers. Other communities in Massachusetts have tried to pass similar moratoriums, including Southwick, Blandford and Wendell, which also faced pushback from the AG’s office.
As for the moratorium on data centers, MacNicol said that would likely be approved by the AG’s office, but an amendment would need to be made to the article to separate the pair of moratoriums into two different motions.
Although this was recommended, the article was approved as written, with Jeffrey Blomstedt of the Board of Health and Planning Board saying a vote in favor serves as “another flag” that Massachusetts residents don’t want these battery energy storage systems and data centers.
“I’m in favor of passing this as a moratorium, and let [the AG’s office] strike it down, if you will,” Blomstedt said.
The second half of Gill’s Annual Town Meeting will pick up on Monday, June 8, at 7 p.m.
