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Committee approves $1 million to continue Atherton Street fire station design; total project estimated at $16.1M
Summary
The Capital Improvement Planning Committee approved a $1,000,000 FY27 design appropriation for the Atherton Street fire station. The Fire Station Building Committee and the fire chief presented a preference for a five-bay renovation/addition and outlined a financing timeline that could require a ballot debt-exclusion in November 2026.
The Capital Improvement Planning Committee voted on Feb. 12 to approve a $1,000,000 FY27 appropriation to continue design work for the Atherton Street fire station project.
The Fire Station Building Committee and Fire Chief Christopher Madden presented Attachment B, which summarizes project history and options. The FSBC and Chief Madden said they prefer a five-bay solution to meet current and projected apparatus-sizing needs while retaining the existing historical structure where feasible. Attachment B lists an estimated total project budget of $16.1 million and outlines a timeline: a request for the $1 million design appropriation at the May 2026 Annual Town Meeting; a Fall 2026 special town meeting seeking construction funding; and a November 2026 ballot question for a debt exclusion should voters be asked to approve construction borrowing.
The presentation noted the project could be eligible for Community Preservation funding for the portion that renovates the historic structure. Attachment B projects first debt payments in FY2029, modeled as a 30-year bond at 5% interest, and anticipates an approximate 1% tax increase in the first debt service year (FY2029) attributable to the additional fire-station debt service after existing adjustments under local debt-stabilization provisions.
Mr. Thomas McCarthy moved to approve the $1,000,000 design request; Dr. Elizabeth Carroll seconded. The motion passed by roll-call vote with all recorded members voting "Yes." Committee Chair Richard G. Wells, Jr. also announced that his public service on the Select Board will end in April; members thanked him for his service during the meeting.
Attachment B contains further detail on appropriations to date, funding constraints under the town's Special Purpose Debt Stabilization Fund (the "Hurley Amendment"), and modeled levy impacts through FY2045.
