Voters to Approve Over $33 Million for Building Plan

The Municipal Building Committee and invite the public to a presentation to discuss a proposal to spend just over $33 million for renovations on and the Forbes Municipal Building, a new fire station and a new community recreation center. The presentation will be held on Thursday, March 8 at 7 p.m. in Rooms 24 and 24 of the Forbes Municipal Building, 45 West Main St.

The proposal will be put before voters in three articles to be presented at a Special Town Meeting at 7 p.m. on March 17 in the auditorium of The Annual Town Meeting will begin at 1 p.m. in the auditorium as scheduled, pausing if necessary for the Special Town Meeting.

The cost of the plan breaks down as follows:

• $11,208,000 — Cost for new fire station
• $6,439,252  — Cost for renovations to Town Hall
• $10,934,927 — Cost for renovations to the Forbes Municipal Building
• $4,648,832 — Cost to build a community recreation center
• $33,231,011 — Total for proposed projects

A presentation of the proposal can be found on the town website.

The plan includes the construction of a 28,000 square foot fire station at the corner of Milk and Philips streets, next to the current station. Once the new fire station is complete and the fire department moves out of the old building, the police department will move into the old fire station while renovations take place at the Forbes Municipal Building.

Renovation plans for the Forbes Municipal Building include expansion of the police department into the basement, first floor and a portion of the second floor. The basketball court and auditorium will be replaced with office and meeting room spaces.

At Town Hall, the plan includes adding an elevator for accessing the second and third floors and expanding office space to relocate employees and departments that are currently in the Forbes Municipal Building.

Because of the loss of the basketball court at the Forbes Municipal Building, the committee is proposing to build a new recreation center on land located behind the adjacent to the playground currently near the parking lot of the Rogers recreation fields.

The new recreation center plan includes a large basketball court that can be reduced to make two smaller courts. Additionally, there is office space for the and a classroom.

When the Municipal Building Committee presented the plan to the selectmen on Feb. 28, Selectman expressed reservations about the need for a recreation center. “I do not believe a recreation center rises to the level of the other two.”

After discussion, the selectmen agreed to put the plan before voters for discussion and approval.

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