Town officials: Where oh where shall the employees go?
By Caitlyn Kelleher Journal Reporter

The three buildings, (top) the VMS Building - housing the Senior Center - the basement of the hardware store extension, and the Stevens Municipal Building - housing the historic piano museum - are being considered as temporary locations for the town hall employees during the renovation project.

Selectmen must now decide where to put Town Hall employees during the renovation of the building.

There are three locations being discussed by town officials: the VMS Building, the Stevens Municipal Building and the basement of the hardware store. If the employees are moved into one of the town-owned buildings programs would have to be relocated.

The employees need about 13,000 square feet of office space, according to their current space needs assessment. They would also like to have a meeting space for public board meetings.

Selectmen will accept public comment at their meeting on Monday, Feb. 5.

The seniors would have to move out of the VMS Building and the Fredericks' Historical Piano Museum and Study Center would have to be relocated out of the Stevens Building.

"I don't think anyone thinks the VMS is a viable option any more," Town Administrator Kevin Paicos said.

The renovation costs for the building would be $70,800 to $90,800. There would be an additional expense in relocating and housing the Senior Center and the Council on Aging, Paicos said.

"I don't know where we'll put the Council on Aging," he said.

The organization uses the old gymnasium in the building to provide lunch and breakfast, to hold medical clinics as well as social events for elderly residents.

The Stevens Municipal Building houses the Fredericks' Historical Piano Collection and a piano study center. Patricia and E. Michael Fredericks has a 13-year lease with the town, which does not expire until 2010, but the town could enact a clause allowing them to take possession of the building.

The Fredericks do not have another home for the their piano collection at this time.

There are a series of improvements that need to be made to the building to house the employees. The minimal repairs would cost $47,640 with more significant repairs costing $124,140.

Journal Photos/ Jeffery W. Boudreau

The basement of the hardware store stands empty; owner Rich Wright said it could be available

for the next 15 months but not much longer. The rent would be $3,800 per month.

The use of the building would cost a total of $57,000.

The Town Hall Building Committee studied the options before referring the matter to the selectmen after the project's budget was not sufficient to fund any of the options. The cost of trailers for the employees, ranging between $200,000 and $450,000, was deemed too high for the budget.