Walkersville directs staff to seek bids for a scaled senior center, removes commercial kitchen from immediate plan

Commissioners on Oct. 8 moved to seek cost estimates and bids for a proposed Walkersville senior center after months of discussion about size and amenities.

The primary debate concerned whether to include a commercial-grade kitchen — an item that, staff and at least one commissioner said, could add roughly $2 million to the project due to commercial hood and ventilation requirements and associated fire-code elements. Several commissioners supported a scaled, multi-purpose building with a prep/warming area but without a full commercial kitchen to reduce costs.

One commissioner said: "I think anything that you would do to alter... may require a sprinkler system," noting code implications if kitchen facilities are expanded. Another commissioner urged pursuing both options with and without a kitchen to get apples-to-apples estimates; the motion ultimately approved authorized the town manager to pursue a request for bids (RFB) for the building with the commercial kitchen removed. The vote carried 5-0.

Staff also said they had discussed Walkersville joining a county feasibility study being conducted by MGT Inc. to determine the best location and size for senior centers around the county; commissioners supported coordinating with the county work so the town's analysis would be comparable.

Next steps: the town manager will pursue RFBs that reflect the approved scope (no commercial kitchen) and will continue coordination with the county feasibility study; commissioners requested that cost estimates be returned for review before any final commitment.