Committee recommends community‑led planning, grants and possible $1.5 million bond for Odd Fellows and community center

The Little Compton council received and discussed a multi‑part report from a committee that reviewed future uses for town‑owned buildings including the Odd Fellows hall and the community center. The committee recommended a staged, community‑led planning process: immediate fire‑safety work, hiring a planner to develop a conceptual campus plan with stakeholders, pursuing grants and philanthropic matches, and considering a town bond to cover any remaining costs.

Recommendation 1: address immediate fire‑safety code and permitting to avoid buildings being declared unusable. The council previously voted to budget up to $260,000 for a sprinkler system and has hired an outside designer. The council also authorized a $10,725 contract with Pat Drum to design sprinkler work for both buildings, a cost item read into the meeting record.

Recommendation 2: issue an RFP to hire a planner or consultant experienced with municipal buildings to develop a conceptual plan and lead public engagement with a stakeholder working group (committee members, representatives of the Odd Fellows, the community center and local organizations such as the Grange and LC Makers). The committee and several councilors said the planner should produce a feasibility study and a conceptual design before any major construction or repurposing.

Recommendation 3: engage nonprofits and hire professional grant writers to apply for available funding. Committee speaker Ara Aranyans told the council that philanthropists in town and grants tied to historic and community facilities could cover a substantial portion of a larger project, saying verbally that “up to 80% of the expenses may be covered” through combined grants, philanthropy and partnerships. Committee members urged raising those funds before asking taxpayers for a large share.

Recommendation 4: review and update existing agreements that affect use and occupancy of the buildings, including a 1985 agreement referenced in the record between the town and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and a 2002 town vote concerning the Grange’s occupancy. The solicitor advised that the town has a “no‑objection” letter allowing the Grange use of part of the Odd Fellows building but that the underlying agreements are old and should be updated.

The committee proposed a process that would form a working long‑term stakeholder committee, develop a conceptual “community campus” plan that integrates senior services, arts and cultural spaces, the Odd Fellows and the Grange, complete an architectural feasibility study, pursue grants and private fundraising, and, if needed, bring a bond or other town financing to a future special financial town meeting to cover any remaining costs. The council debated timing and whether to obtain philanthropic commitments before issuing a bond vote; several councilors noted a bond of roughly $1.5 million had been discussed as sufficient to bring the buildings up to code but not to fund major repurposing.

Public commenters and some councilors urged caution and professional design work rather than rushing to construction. One planning‑board and committee member emphasized treating the four adjacent town properties as a single campus rather than disparate projects. The council accepted the committee's report and placed it on file. The council also moved to dissolve the comments review committee after it completed its charge.

Ending: Councilors said the next steps are to form a stakeholder committee, scope an RFP for a municipal‑building planner/architect, pursue grants and philanthropic matches, and return to the council with a recommended path for any bond or town financing.