Barre City seeks $3.3M to convert Morrison Road warehouse into public works garage

Barre City is asking voters to approve a $3,300,000 bond, Article 2 on the Nov. 4 ballot, to renovate a recently purchased Morrison Road warehouse into a public works garage and campus.

"We own this site. We bought this. We bought it for $3,000,000," Nicholas said, describing the acquisition and the need to convert the former O’Reilly warehouse into a functioning garage with overhead doors, mechanic bays, interior drainage and exterior storage for salt and fuel. He said the Burnham Street facility is located in a floodplain, flooded severely in 2023, and has inadequate layout and storage.

Nicholas provided a budget breakdown: roughly $1,500,000 for exterior work (salt/sand storage, access ramps), $1,400,000 for interior improvements including drainage, and a standard 10% contingency that brings the bond ask to $3,300,000. He said purchase plus renovation would resolve the city’s public works facility needs for about $6,300,000 in total—far less than an earlier $30 million new-build estimate.

City staff said the city will aim to start construction in spring if the bond passes and hopes the site will be available by the next snow season so plows and equipment are stored indoors. Officials also discussed a contingency plan: maintain a small Burnham Street footprint (a shed for sidewalk equipment), sell the remainder of the Burnham Street site, and use proceeds to repay internal Water Fund borrowing tied to the Morrison Road acquisition.

No vote took place during the webinar; officials directed attendees to detailed materials and contact information on the city website ahead of the Nov. 4 special election.