Select Board members discussed a planned move of town offices into the Thornton Burgess building and reviewed repair and upgrade estimates the town will include in upcoming warrant articles. The board and staff emphasized uncertainties on final costs for HVAC, access control, PFAS water filtration, roof and window replacements and debated funding strategy including whether to bundle large items into a debt-exclusion ballot question.

Why it matters: the board is preparing warrant language and cost figures ahead of town meeting; repair and move costs will affect operating budgets, potential town borrowing and whether several projects are bundled for a single override vote.

Key figures and work items presented by staff (Brian and others): a roofing replacement estimate around $110,000 (noted as an early estimate that may rise), replacement of 53 windows (excluding stained glass) at roughly $1,400–$1,500 per window in current estimates, bathroom upgrades (estimated about $15,000), septic system maintenance and required manhole adjustments, and moving costs estimated at roughly $80,000 for movers, supplies and IT disconnect/reconnect. The town also has $99,400 remaining from a prior appropriation for this project; that balance and additional needed funding will determine warrant amounts.

Staff said access control and camera quotes are outstanding and that camera network costs could be phased: access control must be in place by occupancy, while camera network expansion could be phased later. A consultant identified elevated PFAS in the building’s water test, and staff said a filtration system will be required. HVAC work under consideration includes heat-pump retrofits to provide cooling and heating in every space.

Library and IT: moving the library’s books and shelving was estimated at $21,000 by a specialized mover; additional moving-related budgeting (packing supplies and IT relocation) brought the town’s moving budget items to roughly $80,000. The town also applied for a Community Compact IT grant (about $148,000 referenced for network switches and wireless points); staff said they hope to hear before town meeting.

Real-estate and long-term options: Brian reported meeting with commercial realtor Brendan Greeley, who told the board the existing town hall building is "not attractive from a commercial reuse standpoint" and said a resale would likely not cover renovation costs; Brian relayed Greeley’s assessment that a sale might be nominal ("we'd probably sell it for a dollar") because required rehabilitation would be costly. The board discussed options—retain the older building, sell if a buyer emerges, or demolish—while noting any sale or demolition would require town meeting votes and funding.

Funding strategy debate: Select Board members discussed whether to place the fire station debt-exclusion question on the ballot separately or bundle multiple projects into an omnibus debt-exclusion. John Flynn (Select Board member) suggested an omnibus bond to spread costs over a longer term so more residents have projects that matter. Other members warned bundling risks losing support from constituencies and potentially endangering the town office move or senior center work if voters reject a large override.

What’s next: staff will continue to gather bids and firm up access control and HVAC quotes, confirm PFAS mitigation costs, and present a final recommended warrant amount at future meetings. The Select Board also scheduled continued coordination with Wilbraham officials regarding school district agreements and building responsibilities.