A detailed inspection of the Rural Cemetery water tower found the structure in generally good condition but requiring specialized masonry and roofing work to be restored properly, the Southborough Historical Commission said Oct. 1.
Consultant Dennis Sempervan conducted the lift‑assisted inspection on Sept. 19 and told the commission the substructure and exposed woodwork were in better condition than expected. Sempervan reported evidence that squirrels had chewed some vents and that some mortar patches were inappropriate; he recommended repointing with a lime mortar mix, refinishing exposed wood, and replacing four windows. Sempervan also assessed that the original roof is likely slate rather than wood shakes or asphalt.
Commission chair Kevin Miller said Sempervan’s assessment means the proper restoration will cost “quite a bit more” than the commission’s 2024 estimate and will require technical bid documents to ensure qualified contractors. The commission discussed options for paying for a technical report and bidding documents, including seeking Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds through the Community Preservation Committee (CPC). Miller said the commission needs “some money” to produce the engineering and bid documents that will ensure contractors bid the job correctly; he said a small study might cost “several thousand dollars” and noted concern about slipping the project into a later funding cycle.
At the meeting the commission voted twice in support of the project: first, to affirm for the CPC that the Rural Cemetery water tower is historically significant to Southborough; second, to express the commission’s formal support for the water‑tower restoration project. Both motions passed on roll call, 5–0. The chair said he had discussed the inspection with CPC chair Lisa Braccio and that CPC was conducting a technical review; CPC staff set an internal eligibility deadline of Oct. 10 but can extend that schedule. Miller said he would pursue options that might accelerate the study, including asking the Select Board for a small allocation so a study can proceed before the CPC funding cycle delays the project beyond the town’s tricentennial.
The commission thanked the Department of Public Works for arranging and operating the lift used for the inspection and said Sempervan and his subcontractors would return for a follow‑up review to scope masonry and roofing work in more detail. The commission did not commit town funds at the meeting; votes were expressions of significance and support to assist a CPC application and to guide next steps.