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Mayor outlines repair plan, pushes for standalone library referendum and parking deck
Summary
Mayor Nocera told the committee the town will press an aggressive program of building repairs, road work and a library referendum targeted for 2027, and proposed a parking deck behind the police station with temporary parking on the ATD site.
Mayor Nocera updated the committee on a broad set of building and infrastructure priorities, saying the town is working aggressively to repair our buildings that have been neglected and announcing imminent contracts and upcoming work. Nocera identified immediate roof repairs at the CDR site under a Turner contract and said the town will address failing mechanical systems at Green Street School.
Nocera proposed a strategy for the Russell Library project that favors a standalone referendum for the library in 2027 rather than bundling it with larger infrastructure asks. "I personally feel that the library would be in a good position if we continue to do incremental work here after the 2026 bond ... the appetite would be there for 2027 to be a standalone project for the library," he said. He argued a separate question would be easier for voters to evaluate and would limit combined debt-service pressure.
On parking and short-term access, Nocera said the town purchased the ATD building behind the police station and plans to demolish it this summer to create temporary parking while long-range planning proceeds for a parking deck at Lily Plaza. "We're going to put a fence up and rebuild that section for parking," he said, and said the deck is a two- to three-year project requiring planning now.
Nocera outlined other near-term priorities including a new pillar and structural work at City Hall, cosmetic and safety repairs at the boathouse (he noted an internal allocation of about $150,000 for that work), and an aggressive road-repair plan starting with Jack English Drive and several other older roads in the north end.
Committee members asked about estimated project costs and funding. A committee member summarized the committees recent cost estimate for the library near $58—9 million, and the chair remarked to the same effect that a recent estimate was about $59,000,000. Committee members discussed potential grant opportunities (including Community Investment Funds and historic-restoration grants) and the need to match those sources with the scope of any referendum question.
The mayor also discussed alternatives for city operations space, including leasing options and repurposing city-owned retail or other space for "swing" office space while projects proceed.
What happens next: the committee will continue to refine scope, cost estimates and funding strategies and the mayor and staff said they will share design concepts for parking and library options with the council and the committee as they become available.
