Public-works staff told the Northborough Financial Planning Committee that the town’s Town Hall needs a full HVAC replacement and other ventilation work, and recommended asking voters at town meeting for a supplemental $500,000 appropriation to close a funding gap.

Scott, the town’s public-works presenter, said the building—originally a school and later re‑configured for municipal offices—has offices with no central heat or ventilation, failing roof‑mounted air-conditioning units and an old steam boiler arrangement that complicates adding heat to rooms. He told the committee the town used portable A/C units to protect a server room last summer at a cost of a little over $40,000 and that multiple roof AC units share the same failure modes. “The air conditioning units on the roof also use the old refrigerant… the price is like 10 times more than the current ones,” Scott said.

Scott told the committee a mechanical, electrical and plumbing consultant gave an order‑of‑magnitude estimate of $1,250,000 to replace the building’s HVAC systems. He said prior appropriations from older town articles and a Community Preservation Act (CPA) appropriation have already been used; he cited a remaining balance figure reported in the meeting packet of $698,800 and also referenced earlier prior appropriations “of about $780,000” that have been applied to the project. Scott said applying the prior appropriations to the $1.25 million estimate left “$4.70 short,” and recommended a $500,000 request at town meeting to complete the work.

Committee members asked for clarity about why the 2012 appropriation was not spent earlier and how leftover appropriations are handled. Jason, a town staff member who manages capital accounts, explained bond proceeds and other appropriated funds can remain on the town’s capital books; bond proceeds are restricted and must be reappropriated to projects with equal or longer useful life, while unused free‑cash appropriations typically return to free cash when a project is complete. He also said some of the 2012 appropriation was drawn from a reappropriation of older bond proceeds and has been used in pieces over time for design and intermittent repairs.

Committee members said they want a clear report on what remains unobligated in historic capital articles and asked staff to bring back a breakdown showing how much of the earlier appropriations is still available and how much has been spent on interim repairs or design work. Several members noted the town performed a town‑office feasibility study that recommended moving some functions to other properties but that large‑scale relocation is not likely in the near term; Scott said basic building repairs are needed if Town Hall will remain in municipal use over the coming decade.

The committee did not vote on a town‑meeting article at the session. Staff said they will prepare cost details and a recommended warrant article for the committee to consider at a future meeting.