Advisory Finance Committee backs $824,200 transfer for community-center HVAC units

The Westborough Advisory Finance Committee on March 13 recommended that Town Meeting approve a $824,200 transfer from free cash to pay for rooftop HVAC units at the community center.

Committee discussion centered on cost effectiveness of replacing 16 standard rooftop units (about $35,000 each) and a single locker-room unit priced at about $105,000; Speaker 2 noted an estimated rebate of roughly $22,000 on the larger unit and said he was prepared to recommend approval while leaving some details to the municipal building committee. "There's 16 of them that cost around $35,000 a piece," Speaker 2 said, adding that the larger locker-room unit is not as cost effective but that the committee could refine details later.

Speaker 4 moved that the AFC recommend the town vote to transfer $824,200 from free cash for the HVAC rooftop units; Bradley seconded. The committee recorded a unanimous vote in favor (roll-call votes recorded as Puja, Bloomberg, Bradley, Chimada, Clapp, Leslie, McMahon, Shaffer — all 'yes').

The committee discussed that rebates reduce the town's net cost and that doing all the units together may avoid higher future costs from piecemeal repair. The recommendation notes that the municipal building committee may review project details and that final implementation could include adjustments based on that subsequent review.

The action will appear on the Annual Town Meeting warrant as Article 15. The AFC recorded its recommendation that the town approve the transfer using $824,200 of free cash.

The committee moved on to other items after the vote; no dissenting vote was recorded.