Acton officials seek voter approval to borrow for new public works facility

Dean Chatter, vice chair of the Select Board and chair of the Department of Public Works Building Committee, presented Article 7 asking voters to authorize borrowing to build a new Town of Acton public works facility and described the votes required to move the project forward. He said the borrowing must first be approved by a debt-exclusion question on the April ballot (a simple majority required) and then by a two-thirds vote at town meeting to finalize the borrowing.

Chatter told attendees the existing public works building, built in 1969 and originally planned at roughly 30,000 square feet but later reduced to about 19,000 square feet, is “in bad shape, mechanically, structurally, and it's just undersized.” He said the town has many more roads, sidewalks and stormwater responsibilities now than in 1969, and that the building lacks adequate locker rooms, facilities for female employees, safe storage for fuels and toxic materials, sufficient workshop space and mechanic bays…