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Templeton panel backs $15,500 for exterior rehab of Baldwinville’s Memorial Congregational Church
Summary
The Templeton Community Preservation Committee voted to forward $15,500 for exterior rehabilitation at the Memorial Congregational Church in Baldwinville, covering masonry repointing, repainting and ramp staining; the committee flagged church/state legal review and will seek reimbursement and contractor documentation before funds are released.
The Templeton Community Preservation Committee voted unanimously to forward $15,500 to the town select board for historic rehabilitation work on the Memorial Congregational Church in Baldwinville. The committee approved the article after hearing a presentation on the scope and costs.
The request covers repair and repointing of the foundation brickwork, repainting of the front façade (including work requiring a boom lift at about 35 feet), and staining and minor repairs to a 25–30-year-old wheelchair ramp. Noel Francis, treasurer of the Memorial Congregational Church, told the committee the Trustees obtained a contractor quote of $12,900, added a 10% contingency and budgeted roughly $1,000 for a police detail to close Elm Street during lift operations, producing a total request of $15,494 that the committee rounded to $15,500.
The church’s project matters because it seeks to protect an historic building visible from the Baldwinville common and to prevent interior water damage by repairing exterior masonry. “We came to a conclusion that there was moisture within the walls and that repairing the exterior foundation wall ... would solve that problem,” Noel Francis said during the presentation.
Committee members asked whether the ramp staining and minor repairs are eligible under Community Preservation Act (CPA) rules, given the church’s religious use. The committee chair noted that all CPA funding recommendations are reviewed by town attorneys and that prior guidance from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court informs how CPA funds may be used for religious facilities. Committee members also discussed ADA and accessibility considerations; the chair said ADA compliance on historic structures has been funded previously but legal counsel will review any potential church/state issues.
Project administration and procurement: Committee staff explained that if the town funds the article on the warrant the grantee pays vendors first and is then reimbursed by the town. The church plans to post a public acknowledgement plaque as required by the CPA, and Francis said the church would pay for the sign. The submitted budget included the contingency and an allowance for necessary permits; the committee advised applicants to document outreach and bids when practical.
The vote to forward $15,500 for “historic rehabilitation of the Memorial Congregational Church exterior” was unanimous in the polling: Dennis (committee member) yes; George (committee member) yes; Joanne (committee member) yes; Carrie (committee member) yes. The article will go to the select board for placement on the fall town meeting warrant. The committee noted attorneys will review any legal questions before project reimbursement.
