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Selectmen approve moving $11.3M Kate expansion to town meeting and referendum
Summary
Board voted to send a resolution recommending an $11.3 million appropriation for the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center expansion (including a $6.3M bond authorization) to town meeting; campaign leaders said they have raised about $4.5M and are confident of reaching $5M.
The Board of Selectmen voted June 30 to recommend the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center's expansion project be placed on the town meeting warrant and advanced to referendum. Representatives from the Kate described completed design development, an upcoming bid schedule and construction timing that aims to avoid the worst of winter.
A campaign representative told the board the capital campaign is "just shy of $4,500,000, and we're confident that we can get to the 5,000,000 before the vote." Project staff said the total project cost is about $11.3 million, with a proposed town bond authorization not to exceed $6.3 million and the balance funded by grants and private fundraising. They also disclosed a $2.0 million bridge loan available to support cash flow if needed.
Board members raised questions about contingency, site soils (requiring helical piles and adding costs), and programming for community use. The board approved the motion to recommend the appropriation and bond authorization and will move the question to town meeting; the project will return to the selectmen for scheduling and to finalize the town's referendum timing.
