Stoughton Town Meeting To Decide If Town Buys State Theatre, More

STOUGHTON , MA — Annual town meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday and asks 21 elected representatives from each of the town's eight precincts to vote on if the town purchases the State Theatre, replaces the town hall's emergency generator, and replaces phone systems for the schools and town offices. The articles are among 13 up for vote at Stoughton's annual town meeting.

Article five asks town meeting members to vote on authorizing the purchase of the long-vacant State Theatre. The theater, built in 1927 closed in 2007, but the town has expressed an interest in revitalizing it. The desire to purchase and revitalize became stronger after town officials told the Brockton Enterprise that the owner planned to have the building demolished and replaced with a parking lot.

Purchasing the State Theatre is estimated to cost $1.6 million. Although the board of selectmen voted to move the warrant article, the finance committee voted 9-4 not to recommend the passage of the warrant article.

Article four asks for $700,000 to replace the telephone systems in all town buildings and schools. Both the board of selectmen and finance committee voted they recommend the article.

A new emergency generator for the town hall is up for a vote with article 10. The estimated cost of the project is $130,000 and both the board of selectmen and the finance committee recommended its approval.

A full list of the warrant articles being voted on Tuesday can be found below:

Photo by Jimmy Bentley