Selectmen decide not to add 127 Elm demolition project to 2026 CIP; board asks CIP committee to review longer term

The Milford Board of Selectmen voted May 27 not to include a demolition project for 127 Elm on the town’s 2026 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), after members expressed concern about budget priorities and the project’s cost.

Selectman Gary Daniels moved that the 127 Elm item not be placed on the 2026 CIP; Selectman David Friel seconded. The motion passed on a roll call with a majority recorded in favor and one selectman opposed. Board members said the CIP committee should continue to evaluate the property and bring recommendations back to the board for future years.

Members debated the project’s scope and past grant prospects. During the discussion board members referenced prior conversations about seeking grants or cost‑sharing to reduce the town’s share; figures discussed in the meeting included past estimates in the mid‑hundreds of thousands of dollars (the transcript referenced figures of $365,000 and $500,000 during the discussion). Several selectmen said the town faces other fiscal pressures for 2026 and that it made sense to push the item out for additional study rather than include it on next year’s CIP.

Selectman Najee (Camille on CIP coordination and the interim town administrator were mentioned during the discussion) asked the CIP committee to investigate the project further and make a recommendation on whether to place it in a later CIP year. The motion recorded at the meeting did not appropriate funds; it simply removed the item from the 2026 CIP list.

The board’s decision is procedural for CIP scheduling; no demolition contract or grant award was made at the meeting.