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Committee approves $347,534.91 for City Hall war memorial stairs after debate over CPA use
Summary
The Public Facilities Committee approved a $347,534.91 Community Preservation Act grant on May 13 to repair the City Hall war memorial stairs, after councilors debated whether CPA money should be used for what some described as deferred maintenance.
The Public Facilities Committee voted to approve a $347,534.91 appropriation from Community Preservation Act (CPA) unrestricted prior-year reserves to repair the war memorial stairs at City Hall, the committee chair announced at the May 13 meeting.
The sum — recommended by the Community Preservation Committee — covers the second phase of work: construction for structural restoration, waterproofing, resetting the base stairs and installing new handrails in accordance with building code. "This funding is for the 2nd phase of the larger project," a public buildings presenter said, noting investigation and a narrowed scope reduced an earlier $2,000,000 estimate to the current bid amount. Staff emphasized the stairs’ eligibility for historic-resource funding because City Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The approval followed a lengthy debate about whether CPA funds should be used for municipal building work. "I don't think CPA funds should be used by deferred maintenance," said Councilor Leary, who said the program should prioritize community-driven projects and not be a source for routine city maintenance and added, "I won't be going for it." Supporters countered that the stairs are both a safety issue — with uneven risers and missing railings — and a historic public feature that merits preservation. "We're approaching a century," COO Josh Morris said, urging that limited, targeted repairs were appropriate to protect the building’s envelope and longer-term investments.
Staff described the technical fix: repointing mortar and resetting the base so the stair pitch sheds water away from the building rather than allowing infiltration into the stair cavity. The administration and several councilors said the narrower scope accounted for the sharply reduced price compared with earlier broad estimates.
A motion to approve the appropriation passed by roll call; the chair reported five votes in favor, two opposed and one abstention. The committee then moved on to consider the Department of Public Buildings' budget and the supplemental capital improvement plan.
The appropriation is limited to the work described in the application; no additional funding beyond the approved amount or further construction phases were adopted in this vote. Staff said future phases and larger City Hall investments will be part of broader CIP conversations.
