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Hubbardston committee votes to pursue $150,000 preservation grant to shore up historic meeting house
Summary
The Meeting House Committee agreed to seek a $150,000 Community Preservation Act match for the Mass Preservation Project Fund (MassHistoric MHC), prioritizing fixes to stop water infiltration, repair clapboards, and restore windows; members set an accelerated schedule to meet July/August filing deadlines.
The Meeting House Committee in Hubbardston voted to pursue a $150,000 application from local Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds as the local match to the Mass Preservation Project Fund administered by the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC), members said during a lengthy discussion and a motion taken near the end of the meeting.
The committee said the request would be paired with an MHC award to produce roughly $200,000 in project funding, depending on final application language and reimbursements. The group described the proposal as an initial step to fund urgent preservation work on the town-owned meeting house and asked for a narrow, prioritized scope to accompany the CPA application.
Committee members laid out the priorities they want included in the application: first, address water infiltration and foundation/basement moisture control to protect the building’s structural integrity; second, repair or re-nail exterior clapboards and related envelope elements; third, repair or restore window sashes and sills to reduce heat loss. Members emphasized that water management is the most urgent issue and said that addressing it first would prevent more expensive failures down the road.
Speakers discussed how the grant would be structured and the risks of pursuing a competitive MHC award. The group clarified that the CPA match would be allocated up front and that administrative CPA funds could be used for consultant or feasibility work required by MHC. Members agreed they would gather at least three contractor estimates to support the project budget and to finalize a one‑page project description for the CPA application.
The committee instructed the lead volunteer to coordinate with town staff to confirm deadlines and procedural steps. Members noted an accelerated filing schedule: a July 15 CPA application timeline was discussed and the state warrant/calendar for election-year special town meeting could require an earlier internal timeline for select-board/warrant preparation. The committee asked staff (Mel) to confirm official dates so the committee can meet filing windows.
At the meeting’s close the committee made a formal motion to pursue the $150,000 CPA-backed application to the Mass Preservation Project Fund and agreed to move forward with scope development, contractor estimates and CPA/board coordination. The motion was seconded and the committee proceeded to move the effort forward; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.
