As the Board of Selectmen prepares for an April 28 forum to update residents on its plans for Town Hall, we hope it gives the building committee it appointed a chance to air its concerns.
Last week, Selectman Ron Ricci said the purpose of the meeting should be to provide a “sanity check” on the board’s work thus far. It’s a chance to say, “This is what we’ve come up with; does anyone see a serious problem?” Ricci said.
Given the opportunity, the Town Hall Building Committee is likely to answer, “Yes.”
For weeks, the committee has argued that in deciding to stick with the current footprint of Town Hall, the selectmen have precluded other options that might have done a better job of preserving the building for the next 50 years and creating a healthy work environment for its employees, even if that meant removing the addition and its stage and leaving offices on the second floor.
We think the building committee deserves its day in court and that the selectmen should listen to its concerns with open minds, no matter how committed they’ve become to their latest plans. “We’re offering our help,” THBC member Eric Broadbent said this week.
After all, the $4 million that will be spent on this project is our money; it’s time for us to participate in the decision-making. The upcoming forum could be a last opportunity to do so.
