Community Center petition brought to Selectmen in Moultonborough
Article Date: Friday, February 1, 2008
A petitioned warrant article to appropriate funds for a proposed community center was given to the selectmen with 300 signatures.
Tom Howard, the chair of the Recreational Strategic Planning Team, gave the petition to the board during Thursday night's weekly board meeting.
The petition calls for the appropriation of $375,000 for architectural, engineering, and other related fees for the construction of a community/senior center with fields and other outdoor improvements on the Lion's Club property.
In a statement read to the board, Howard said the $375,000 is eight percent of the construction costs, which also includes one soccer field and one baseball/softball field. Additionally, the costs were planned as the first step of the team's original five-year study.
The plan, put forth after a two-year study by the planning team, proposed a $5.5 million community/senior center with activity rooms, a gymnasium, and fields. The proposal was met with both resounding support by some and protest by others, many of whom voiced their opinions at a series of public hearings at selectmen's meetings.
The board voted against putting an article for the community center project on the warrant. Many board members said the center is too high a cost for the town in an uncertain economic climate.
The petition given to the selectmen had about 300 signatures.
"I think this is the largest petition I've ever seen since I've been selectman," said Selectman Ed Charest. "It really is a testament to the people who have done that, it is a testament to real democracy."
Charest said, however, he could not support the article given the uncertainty of the economy and other projects, such as road repair. "It appears to be more of a recreational center. I was more concerned about a recreation/senior center. There's always been a need for a community center here and I saw too much of an emphasis on the younger generation than the older generation."
"It is a very (excellent) opportunity for all ages of people, especially focusing on the senior community," said resident Suzanne Fullerton, a member of the team, calling Charest's comments "really disheartening."
"We have 300 signatures that far override anyone who has come (before)," said committee member Lisa St. Amand, asking "why that doesn't supersede a small number that says they don't want it when that's what the larger body wants?"
Howard said another warrant article is also being drafted that would set up a capitol reserve fund for the center that could receive private donations, as the town library addition and the Meredith community center both received.
The exact wording of the article and the issue of whether or not any money would be used to establish the fund will be discussed before signatures are collected and the article goes to the town.
The plan, put forth after a two-year study by the planning team, proposed a $5.5 million community/senior center with activity rooms, a gymnasium, and fields. The proposal was met with both resounding support by some and protest by others, many of whom voiced their opinions at a series of public hearings at selectmen's meetings.
The board voted against putting an article for the community center project on the warrant. Many board members said the center is too high a cost for the town in an uncertain economic climate.
The petition given to the selectmen had about 300 signatures.
"I think this is the largest petition I've ever seen since I've been selectman," said Selectman Ed Charest. "It really is a testament to the people who have done that, it is a testament to real democracy."
Charest said, however, he could not support the article given the uncertainty of the economy and other projects, such as road repair. "It appears to be more of a recreational center. I was more concerned about a recreation/senior center. There's always been a need for a community center here and I saw too much of an emphasis on the younger generation than the older generation."
"It is a very (excellent) opportunity for all ages of people, especially focusing on the senior community," said resident Suzanne Fullerton, a member of the team, calling Charest's comments "really disheartening."
"We have 300 signatures that far override anyone who has come (before)," said committee member Lisa St. Amand, asking "why that doesn't supersede a small number that says they don't want it when that's what the larger body wants?"
Howard said another warrant article is also being drafted that would set up a capitol reserve fund for the center that could receive private donations, as the town library addition and the Meredith community center both received.
The exact wording of the article and the issue of whether or not any money would be used to establish the fund will be discussed before signatures are collected and the article goes to the town.
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