Infrastructure Projects Timeline

Established on December 14, 2021, the mission of the Capital Building Committee (CBC) is “To assist the Town in developing a financial plan for public facilities to be built, including but not limited to a Town Hall, Council on Aging, Highway Garage, or Fire Statin, as well as to develop the public facilities portion of the Comprehensive Plan. Recommendations for planning and proposed projects will be provided to the Board of Selectmen, Advisory and Finance Committee, and Town Meeting.”

The membership of the CBC is comprised of:

• 5 appointees at large of the Board of Selectmen
• 2 members of Advisory and Finance Committee
• 1 member of School Committee
• 1 member of Planning Board, or Town Planner if designated
• Town Engineer

The Town abandoned a proposal to move town office into a privately owned space, due to legal constraints that arose during negotiations with the selected vendor.

Municipal Offices proposal: Town searches for existing building space for all Town offices and receives only two proposals. The Town opts for the Swansea Mall property and explores it.

The town proposed a new municipal complex to house the services currently located in Town Hall, the Town Hall Annex, the Council on Aging, and the Department of Public Works. At a Special Town Meeting held in May 2018, a vote failed to approve the required $9.5 million by a vote of 202 to 136.

At the 2013 Town Meeting, another attempt to fund a Highway Facility Garage project fell short of the required vote to approve the request to use $600,000 of town money to construction a new building with an estimated construction cost of $1.35M (with an additional $750,000 in funding to come from Chapter 90 state aid). The approval was lost by 36 votes, with 207 voters in favor and 243 voters against. 

At the 2012 Town Meeting, the Highway Facility Garage project fell short of the required 2/3 majority vote to approve the request to borrow $797,000 (with an additional $750,000 in funding to come from Chapter 90 state aid). The majority voted 175-133 in favor during a secret ballot vote after floor discussion.