Hubbardston Select Board advances municipal complex planning, appoints building-committee liaison

The Select Board discussed next steps for the municipal complex project and confirmed the effort will continue in phases, with a proposed Phase 2 debt-exclusion measure to be presented to town meeting and on a ballot. The board also named a select-board member to the municipal complex building committee and said public-engagement events will take place ahead of a fall town meeting.

The chair said Phase 1—acquisition and initial renovations—is complete and the plan for Phase 2 is to seek a debt exclusion to fund further construction that would allow the town to consolidate emergency services and town offices. “Phase 2 will be brought before town meeting…and, hopefully, it passes,” a board member said, adding that breaking the project into phases makes it more digestible for voters.

Sean said bond counsel will model the average tax impact to a typical single-family household using 20- and 30-year bonding schedules, and the building committee will hold public engagement sessions in the months leading to town meeting so residents can review schematics and cost estimates.

Board members repeatedly raised life-safety concerns about the current police and fire facilities and said the project aims to address those deficiencies. One board member argued moving sooner could reduce cost escalation and save the town money over time.

What’s next: The municipal complex building committee will increase public engagement, bond-counsel modeling will be provided to the board in the coming weeks, and Phase 2's debt-exclusion plan will be presented to town meeting for consideration.