CIAC backs $500,000 Fairbank master plan, splits on Hosmer House envelope; approves Hosmer House roof funding

The Capital Improvement Advisory Committee on Wednesday supported three Community Preservation Committee (CPC) capital articles and recorded mixed votes on work for the Hosmer House, the town’s historic property.

The committee voted to support Article 44, a $500,000 request to fund master planning and early action items for the Fairbank Community Center and Haskell Field, and later approved Article 50, funding to replace the Hosmer House roof. On Article 49 — a $615,000 request for exterior envelope and HVAC restoration at Hosmer House — the committee was split and did not record a majority approval.

Fairbank and Haskell master plan: Sandra Duran, combined facilities director, described Article 44 as funding for master planning, community engagement and “early action items” at the adjacent Fairbank Community Center and Haskell Field. Duran said the total CPC request for three items is $1,501,000 and that the Fairbank master plan request itself is $500,000. Early action placeholders include a $200,000 multisport court and a $150,000 pavilion; the master plan budget includes a 5% contingency and a year‑of‑escalation to reach the $500,000 request.

“I separated the roof from the envelope and HVAC, as I thought if I needed to prioritize them, I would prioritize the wood roof,” Duran said when introducing the Hosmer House requests, later noting the three CPC proposals total “$1,501,000.” CIAC members asked about maintenance responsibilities; Duran said park and grounds (DPW) would handle landscape maintenance while Facilities would manage the building.

Hosmer House envelope and HVAC (Article 49): Duran presented an estimated $615,000 budget for restoring the building envelope and upgrading HVAC to address moisture and indoor‑air problems. The estimate includes window restoration, trim work, masonry repointing, and a 5% contingency plus one year of cost escalation. Committee members pressed for detail about alternates and whether the estimate includes design fees; Duran acknowledged a need to confirm line‑item carryovers and said she would provide the detailed cost estimate.

On the final vote to approve Article 49, the committee was split. Committee minutes recorded members saying they had concerns about the scope, the cost breakdown, and whether the historic‑district review requirements (which can raise costs) were fully reflected. CIAC members noted that some restoration options (for example, repairing historic windows versus replacing with modern double‑pane units) are tradeoffs between historic preservation and energy performance and could affect the estimate.

Hosmer House roof (Article 50): Duran said the roof design is at 50% and that a cedar‑shingle wood roof with copper flashing and gutters is planned; she listed the roof package — roofing, copper flashing and gutters, chimney work and repointing — as the most costly single component. The committee moved and approved the roof funding request; meeting comments indicated a concern that some line items and alternates should be checked for accuracy but that the roof is a near‑term priority.

Votes at a glance: CIAC recorded the following committee votes during the meeting — Article 44 (Fairbank/Haskell master plan): motion to support carried (tallied by chair as 5–1); Article 49 (Hosmer House envelope & HVAC): tied, no majority approval (3–3); Article 50 (Hosmer House roof): approved (committee voice tally reported as majority in favor).

Ending: Committee members requested that staff and project leads provide the detailed cost breakdowns, clarify the alternates and design fees, and supply any historic‑commission guidance so CIAC can finalize its report to the Finance Committee and the Select Board ahead of town meeting.