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May 26, 2004
Editor, Moosehead Messenger To the Editor; The problem is that Town government has outgrown and outlasted the 1961 steel “butler building” in which most of the Town's services have been housed. This type of building has an estimated useful life span of 40 years: this building is now 43 years old. In 2000, the voters opted to invest in a new facility for the public works department, allowing the fire department to relieve cramped and dangerous conditions by inheriting one truck bay. Also in 2000, funds for an architect's study was approved to make recommendations for how to renovate or otherwise relieve cramped and inadequate working conditions in the municipal building. This study showed that it would cost as much to renovate and expand the current building as it would to build a new structure for the same functions. A later in-house study by the Municipal Building Task Force recommended a combination of renovating the current building and constructing a new building on Town property behind the current building. This, too, was deemed to be undesirable by the Board of Selectmen due to cost and concern that “good money put after bad” would eventually become a bad investment. In 2003, the former Hathaway property located at 7 Minden Street become available for purchase. Greenville voters authorized the purchase of this structure with the intent of having it torn down and a new municipal building constructed upon it at a November 19, 2003 special town meeting. The Town of Greenville now owns this property, and has plans to develop it as a new municipal building for administration and for the Police Department. This new building will be more efficient to operate, will relieve numerous code violations and ADA violations present in the current location, and will give the Townspeople a far better place to conduct business. The cost for construction and for on-going maintenance are all included in the proposed FY2004-2005 budget, and are recommended by both the Board of Selectmen and also the budget committee. Despite this addition to the proposed budget, the total net increase is by the Town-portion of the budget will be only 1.57%, or a $0.07 mil increase. The cost of construction will require the borrowing of $150,000 through a general obligation bond: all other funds are currently held in reserve or will come from the sale of town-owned property. The Board of Selectmen supports this project and urge the residents of Greenville to also support this project: this will be a very valuable investment in our community. Sincerely; BOARD OF SELECTMEN Eugene F. Murray, Sr. – Chairman |