Wareham wins ADA and dam‑study grants; town moves toward full library HVAC replacement

Town Administrator Patrick Sullivan told the Select Board on Jan. 20 that Wareham has received multiple state grants to advance capital projects and studies.

"We received the $250,000 ADA grant for the Onset band shell," Sullivan said, adding the town will package that work with sidewalk and pier‑entry improvements and plans to advertise bids in March with construction work starting in April and completion aimed for June 30.

Sullivan also described the town’s work on the Parker Mill Pond dam: Wareham previously used an $187,000 grant for assessment, sediment sampling, bathymetric survey and hydrologic modeling and has now been awarded $642,200 through the High Hazard Potential Dam program to advance engineering investigations, final design and permitting. He emphasized that the new grant does not fund physical removal: "It does not authorize physical removal of the dam. It does not commit the town to construction," he said, adding the phased approach reduces liability and positions the town to pursue future construction funding.

On the library, Sullivan said the building’s mechanical constraints mean a full HVAC replacement is prudent. He said designer selection will start for a public project exceeding $300,000 and estimated the full replacement will be at least $2.5 million; the plan anticipates closing the library during work.

Sullivan also updated the board on winter maintenance capacity, noting Wareham maintains about 193.7 miles of roads (approximately 133 accepted, about 61 unaccepted) and outlined prioritized snow‑response timelines.

The board did not take a formal vote on these projects at the meeting; the updates direct staff to proceed with designer selection and permit coordination and position Wareham to pursue construction funding and bid awards in the coming months.