To the Editor:
I am writing this letter in support of the Town Hall Building Committee. I applaud the work these professionals – an architect, an engineer, and a businessman – have done for the town over the past few years. After attending all their presentations, I realize that they have carefully reviewed all the options available to us, including the pricing of a new building. They have talked with all the employees in the Town Hall and determined how much space each one needs, as well as calculating the building requirements to meet state codes. The committee certainly has done its due diligence for us. They have presented those plans and suddenly they are asked to start another process, spending thousands more dollars to investigate another building. When they presented in the past, there was a clear directive from the community to work with the current Town Hall.
The Building Committee has given us several options working with the current building. We have spent over $350,000 on architect fees and every year that we delay, building costs rise. In my mind, to send them back to the drawing board is an exercise in futility.
Some things are more important than a few extra dollars on our tax rate. The Town Hall and Library are iconic buildings and should continue to function for the same purposes for the next 100+ years. They are the cement for the village as are the General Store and the Post Office.
I spend a lot of time in the Town Hall. Although the windows are not in good shape – and we probably could have replaced them with the money already spent – the building is structurally sound. When I am in the cellar, I marvel at the solid foundation and the huge beams. It is a magnificent building, and it should be preserved. I cannot believe that a majority of citizens would vote to have that became another condominium.
We were presented with four options. I favor Option 3A, the Town Hall renovation without a large meeting room. The annual total tax impact on a $400,000 house is $146.99. The annual total tax impact for a new building is $165.69.
Most of us live in Marion because we love the town. I am not opposed to change but the village – comprised of the Town Hall, Library, Sippican School, Masonic Building, General Store, Post Office, Churches, Historic Society, and shops – is what makes Marion so charming. Let’s preserve the character of the town that brought so many of you here and has always been home to the rest of us.
Betsy Dunn, Marion
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