by Anonym ·
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
by John Osborn
The three-year effort to renovate and expand Harvard's Town Hall suffered a major setback Wednesday when attendees at a Special Town Meeting failed to approve the additional money needed to begin work on the 1870s-era building.
The request was for an additional $1.1 million, which would have been added to the $3.97 million approved by Town Meeting in 2012. But the article—the first on the night's 12-article STM warrant—needed a two-thirds majority to pass, and supporters were unable to muster the votes required. The final tally was 225 in favor and 154 opposed, 28 votes short of the necessary 253.
The decision leaves the Selectmen and the Town Hall Building Committee (THBC) with roughly $3.4 million of the amount originally allocated for the project. Current building committee chairman Pete Jackson told the Press that roughly $438,123 has been obligated to contractors.
But, Jackson added, the work of the current THBC is done. "We cannot ask the architect to do any design using remaining funds. Those funds were appropriated for the specific project defined at the 2012 ATM. The [Board of Selectmen] would have to decide what to do, but I am not sure what funds could be used."
Clearly, the current plan cannot be implemented with the dollars in hand. A new round of bidding on the current design is unlikely to lower its cost, and the bids in hand are good for no more than 30 days. But the rallying cry of many opponents has been "We can do better." In a phone call, Selectman Leo Blair, who along with Ron Ricci voted against the article, told the Press Wednesday afternoon that if the vote were "no," he believed there were options available with the money in place "that could achieve most of what voters want."
There was virtually no debate prior to the vote on the article. Marie Sobalvarro, Chairwoman of the Selectmen, made the motion to approve the spending, stipulating that it be funded by excluded debt. "The documents are in hand, the contractors are at the ready," she said. "It's time to fix Town Hall."
Building Committee Chairman Jackson explained the causes behind the sudden escalation in cost estimates from roughly $4.1 million in July to $5 million three months later, but said the design would meet the needs of the town for the next 20 years. Selectman Stu Sklar and Elm Street resident Jared Wollaston also urged passage. There were questions from former Building Committee co-chairman Wade Holtzman and Elm Street resident Billy Salter, but after less than 30 minutes, Moderator Bob Eubank called for the vote.
An unidentified resident moved that the vote be done by secret ballot. But once Town Clerk Janet Vellante had explained the process, the motion was overwhelmingly defeated.
Eubank asked those in favor to hold up their yellow cards, and then those opposed. After surveying the two responses, he declared that the motion had carried, but his declaration was greeted by cries of "no" from the rear of Cronin Auditorium, where many opponents of the measure were gathered. At that point Eubank called for a count and several minutes later he apologized, reversed his previous ruling, and declared that the motion had failed to achieve its required two-thirds majority.
Former selectman Tim Clark asked Eubank to allow a motion to reconsider the vote. But invoking his powers as moderator, Eubank declared the motion out of order and moved on to the next article of business.
The Town Hall article was one of a dozen. Here are the results for the remaining 11 warrant articles:
- Article 2: Ask legislators to file community solar exemption legislation. Passed.
- Article 3: Authorize Selectmen to negotiate PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) with one or more community solar systems. Passed.
- Article 4: Approve PILOT. Moved to take no action.
- Article 5: Add building permit category for community solar. Passed.
- Article 6: Utility easement to Mass Electric for Town Hall. Passed.
- Article 7: Authorize BOS to lease property for wireless communication tower. Selectmen voted to pass over.
- Article 8: Replenish Rantoul Trust Fund. Passed.
- Article 9: Amend Dog Bylaw to increase penalty for failure to license. Passed.
- Article 10: Amend general bylaws, Bare Hill Pond, to require Selectmen's approval of Parks and Rec authorization of access by groups with non-Harvard residents. Passed.
- Article 11: Grant Harvard Cable Television Committee request for funds, $35,000 from remaining levy. Passed.
- Article 12: Impose temporary moratorium on medical marijuana treatment centers. Passed.