Bridgewater Voters will decide the fate of the Academy building restoration and the Bridgewater Middle School roof replacement on Aug. 24.
The Town Council voted unanimously to hold a special election on that date with a single question on the ballot: a Proposition 2 ? debt exclusion for $5,271,000.
That amount will cover the portion of the Academy building renovation and school roof replacement not covered by other sources as well as a new roof for a portion of the main fire station and a modest renovation of the Memorial Building.
?We?ve got decaying buildings, increasing mold, ceilings falling in, a lack of handicapped access, windows and doors literally falling out of their frames and quite honestly it?s becoming a health issue for the public and employees,? Town Manager Michael Dutton said at a special Council meeting Friday night.
Councilor Bill Rivers proposed an amendment to divide the single ballot question into two separate debt exclusions, one for the town building projects and another for the school roof.
But the amendment failed 2-5, with Rivers and Councilor John Norris voting for it and councilors Peter Colombotos, Sheila Whitaker, Sandra Wright and Kevin Perry and Council President Timothy Fitzgibbons voting against it. Councilor Scott Pitta and Council Vice President Bill Wood were not present.
Rivers said voters who support one project but not the others should not be forced into an all-or nothing decision.
?Really the only relation they have to each other is they are buildings. Previously we?ve given voters a menu of options,? Rivers said.
But Colombotos said ?government is not a la carte. I don?t use the senior center but I?m perfectly happy to have my taxes go to the senior center.?
Colombotos said splitting up the projects would pit the schools against the town.
?This kind of fracturing of interests has not served us well over the past few years,? Colombotos said.
Seven residents attended the meeting. Three spoke in favor of the projects and none against. Resident Joe Gillis spoke in favor of Rivers? amendment to split the proposal into two separate debt exclusions without speaking for or against any of the projects.
The Academy Building restoration and middle school roof replacement account for the vast majority of the proposed debt exclusion. The break down is as follows: $3.5 million for the Academy Building; $1.6 million for the middle school roof and $150,000 for the Memorial Building and fire station roof, Dutton said.
The full cost of the Academy restoration is $8.8 million, but Dutton is proposing to use about $5 million in Community Preservation money and $200,000 in grants.
The full cost of the middle school roof replacement is $3.6 million but the state will be paying $2 million of that or 55.63 percent through the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
The full cost of the Memorial Building renovation and fire station roof is $275,000 but Dutton said $126,000 of that is covered by grants and money the town has set aside.
Dutton said the debt exclusion will not lead to a tax hike.
That?s because the new debt will be replacing old debt that will be paid off over the next few years or refinanced at a lower rate. The savings will more than offset the new debt payments, he said.
?We can accomplish the middle school roof, the Academy Building, the Memorial Building and the fire station roof within the amount taxpayers are currently paying for excluded debt,? Dutton said.???
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