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Select board pauses spending on 1856 Academy amid debate over $1M bond and fundraising
Summary
Select board members traded sharply different views on whether the town should continue funding the 1856 Academy renovation after learning the town still carries roughly $1 million in bond debt and about $170,000 has been raised in donations; directors asked staff to pause major expenditures and grant‑writing until voters or the board provide clearer direction.
The Monmouth Select Board heard an extended update on the 1856 Academy renovation project and then debated whether the town should continue paying for repairs or turn the facility over to a nonprofit or other arrangement.
Committee members and staff said the project has drawn roughly $170,000 in financial donations and about $20,000 in in‑kind work; the committee reported about $65,000 remains in the donations account. Board members were told the town still carries a bond balance with the final payment due in December 2036 — roughly a $1 million obligation on the town’s books.
Supporters of continuing the project urged a measured approach: the building could serve as a municipal community center, shelter space and a venue for civic events, and pursuing grants and private fundraising could complete renovations over years without enlarging the town’s operating budget. The committee said a redevelopment program opportunity could supply up to $25,000 and that larger engineering work was scaled back to match available grant funding.
Opponents said the voters’ recent ballots suggested residents do not want to carry ongoing operating costs, and they repeatedly pressed for a public vote on whether the town should remain the building’s owner. One select board member urged forming an exploratory committee with members from both sides to develop a concrete plan that could be presented to voters.
The town manager said he feels a responsibility to insure the building while the loan remains outstanding but acknowledged the board’s motion at its prior meeting to require any expenditures for the building to return before the board for approval. As a result, the board directed staff to pause major spending and to suspend grant pursuit and significant outreach related to the structure until the board or voters decide next steps.
Next steps: the board said it will consider putting a clear, fundable proposal before voters or creating a new exploratory committee to develop options and a financing plan for public consideration.
