Hamilton Boards Advance $7.8M Town Hall Borrowing, December Ballot Question

HAMILTON -- October 19, 2020, Hamilton's Select Board and Finance Committee jointly advanced a $7.8 million town hall renovation funding package and set a December 3 debt exclusion vote. Meeting jointly on October 19, Select Board Chair Sean Farrell and Finance Committee Chair John Prulidge led both boards through a Special Town Meeting warrant, voting unanimously to recommend favorable action on Article 2-7, a $3 million Community Preservation Act appropriation for the historic portions of the town hall at 577 Bay Road, and Article 2-8, a $4.8 million borrowing for the remaining construction costs, with Finance Director Marissa estimating the bond's tax rate impact at roughly 6.5 cents per $100,000 of assessed value on a 30-year term. The boards also unanimously approved ballot question language for a Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion to appear on the December 3 special election. A $150,000 master plan appropriation, described by Finance Committee member Christina Shankar Grove as "an emergency" given the town's trajectory toward a future override, passed the Select Board 5-0 but was tabled by the Finance Committee pending fuller discussion. Bids on the town hall project are scheduled to open November 6.