Bowdoinham residents rejected a $1 million bond to repair the town’s tottering town hall during the annual town meeting last week, and now Bowdoinham officials are scrambling to find new ways to fund the work and reopen the historic building, which is shuttered due to serious structural issues.
Before closing, the town hall had been used for countless community events for decades, including the public library’s annual plant sale, which was forced to relocate to the waterfront this year.
The town hall, built in 1823, last underwent significant renovations in the 1990s. The structure has since suffered continuous leaks in the roof and major foundation damage caused by rot.
The majority of 162 residents in attendance voted against the bond after Select Board members voted 4-0 in support of borrowing the money, while the Finance Advisory Committee voted 3-0 against the bond.
The proposed $1 million bond with a 5.75% interest rate and a 15-year maturity would have cost the town an extra $519,312 upon repayment. At previous meetings, the Select Board expressed concerns the bond would not pass due to a 13% property tax increase next year for new ambulatory services—which voters did approve. The board also kept in mind voters helped pass a $52.8 million school budget for Maine School Administrative District 75, which will increase taxes by another $227 for the average household.
Bowdoinham’s existing bond debt is over $6 million.
In April, the Bowdoinham Town Hall Committee sat down with Arron J. Sturgis of Preservation Timber Framing Inc. to review his inspection of the building and what upgrades he recommended.
“It’s a well-thought-out building and it deserves your attention,” Sturgis said. “It’s in disrepair at this point.”
Sturgis said the basic design of the town hall is “very sound,” but water infiltration, the age of the structure and continued foundation movement couldn’t be ignored. He recommended roof repairs and removing the existing flooring to make way for a new foundation but said costs could be cut by using the original capstones. Overall, he said the project could be completed in 12-18 months once funding is in place but reminded the committee that the damages will worsen the longer they wait, and repair costs will increase.
Since the bond did not pass, Town Manager Nicole Briand is asking anyone willing to donate their skills or ideas to the project to email her at townmanager@bowdoinham.com.
The Town Hall Committee will meet again at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 27, to discuss next steps.
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