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Bridge House seeks five‑year voluntary payment pilot for downtown property
Summary
Sean from the Bridge House asked the Select Board to negotiate a five‑year voluntary payment agreement for 6 Main Street, proposing annual payments of $7,945 in lieu of full commercial tax liability; the board asked town counsel to review the draft and signaled preliminary support.
Plymouth — The Bridge House, a Grafton County nonprofit that operates emergency shelter and transitional housing, asked the Select Board on April 27 to consider a five‑year voluntary payment pilot for its planned purchase of 6 Main Street (the former Ride 8 building).
Sean, representing Bridge House, told the board the organization seeks to own and operate the commercial property for charitable purposes and proposed an annual voluntary payment of $7,945, payable July 1 each year under a five‑year agreement. He said the town assessor's records list the building's assessed value at $1,799,000 and that a hypothetical full commercial tax for the property would be about $39,624 in the most recent tax cycle.
The proposal would not surrender or alter any statutory exemption rights of the nonprofit, Sean said; rather, Bridge House said it was offering a predictable voluntary contribution to help cover municipal services that will continue to support the property. Bridge House noted its local thrift‑store operations and shelter services in Plymouth and said the pilot is intended to reduce homelessness‑related emergency calls and stabilize vulnerable residents.
Board members asked practical and legal questions. The assessor clarified that property status is determined by ownership on April 1; because Bridge House's planned purchase date was after that cut‑off, the property would be taxable for the current tax year unless the board and assessor process an abatement once the sale closes. Town staff said the board is not being asked to act on a final agreement that night; instead, staff will forward the proposal to the town attorney and, after counsel review, the board will consider whether to accept or negotiate the pilot.
Select Board members expressed preliminary support for further review but did not authorize a pilot agreement at the meeting. The board asked staff to return the matter for a future vote after the town attorney reviews the draft agreement and recommended language.
The board did not record a formal vote or tally on the pilot at the April 27 meeting.
