I’m compelled to share frustration with the management of capital projects. We’re asked to approve an additional $1.5 million for our Library – it’s a must do. My complaint is that rather than getting an official report on what went wrong, who’s responsible, and what if any recourse is possible, all we hear from Town Hall is a sugar-coated message about celebrating the Library opening – someday.
As a union building trade worker, I know how projects are studied and planned to completion. It requires competent leadership. As residents we must demand transparency and accountability here. Going forward, we have expanding or tearing down Town Hall to rebuild for double the cost approved in the 2015 referendum. What residents called for was: updated HVAC, an expanded archive vault, cosmetic refresh, ADA, plus other, nominal, code compliances. Here are the reasons we DON’T need the expansion Selectman Mack is calling for: The average resident spends ten minutes or less doing business during a visit. Most services can be accessed online. The State is fostering plans to “consolidate and regionalize town governments” to ease that tax burden. Townships won’t need a full collection of departments. I encourage my fellow residents, to disapprove of this. The first selectman’s opinions on updating existing structures are incorrect and unqualified. Projects like this go forward with much success and cost savings when properly managed. Please come forward and vote to implement only what was approved.