Afton to vote on new town hall proposal
AFTON – There will be a vote in the town of Afton on Feb. 7 to determine whether the town will take out a $400,000 loan to move the town offices to Rt. 7, outside the village.
According to former Supervisor Robert Briggs, the desire to change the location of the town hall, which has been discussed numerous times in the past, is primarily monetary, but also involves concerns with damage and mold to the structure as well as a lack of handicap accessible entrances and bathrooms.
Current Supervisor John Lawrence explained the project would combine four town facilities (town hall, the courthouse, the storage garage and a meeting room) which are currently serviced and heated separately, into one building. This, Lawrence explained, would provide a convenience and accessibility to members of the community.
“The current buildings are not economically heated and functionally the maintenance is very expensive,” he stated. “We have an opportunity to save money on utilities by combining the structures.”
Briggs explained that the plans for a new highway garage had already been drawn up, following the loss of the previous garage during the floods of 2006, and FEMA had provided a $515,000 grant for reconstruction.
Lawrence said the total cost of the project would equate to approximately $1.2 million. Besides the FEMA grant, the town has $200,000 in a capital reserve fund which would be applied to the project. Both the loan and a request to utilize the reserve fund will be included in the Feb. 7 vote.
He went on to explain that NBT Bank had already reviewed and approved a municipal bond at 3.9 percent interest. Payments would equal approximately $20,000 a year paid over a 20-year period.
“The interest is incredibly low ... and we estimate that the town will save $15,000 a year on operating costs,” said Lawrence.
Members of the community have voiced their concerns about the move, stating that the distance from the center of town will inhibit customer traffic and fail to draw attention to the local businesses.
“We need to preserve our current town hall which can be done without borrowing money while utilizing its historic character to influence Afton’s potential as an attractive community for its residents and its visitors,” said Mary Jo Long in a recent letter to the editor.
The building, which has not been refurbished since its construction in 1861, would require more costs in refurbishing due to the fact that the town garage would cost approximately $700,000 on its own without combing the buildings.
“For what we spend in the old building ... it doesn’t make sense to have three separate buildings,” Lawrence said.
The town will hold its regular meeting on at 7 p.m. Jan. 12, and members of the community are encouraged to attend and voice their opinions.
“This is not a point of contention; it’s not about right or wrong,” said Lawrence. “It’s about whether the town wants to upgrade our existing facilities.”
According to former Supervisor Robert Briggs, the desire to change the location of the town hall, which has been discussed numerous times in the past, is primarily monetary, but also involves concerns with damage and mold to the structure as well as a lack of handicap accessible entrances and bathrooms.
Current Supervisor John Lawrence explained the project would combine four town facilities (town hall, the courthouse, the storage garage and a meeting room) which are currently serviced and heated separately, into one building. This, Lawrence explained, would provide a convenience and accessibility to members of the community.
“The current buildings are not economically heated and functionally the maintenance is very expensive,” he stated. “We have an opportunity to save money on utilities by combining the structures.”
Briggs explained that the plans for a new highway garage had already been drawn up, following the loss of the previous garage during the floods of 2006, and FEMA had provided a $515,000 grant for reconstruction.
Lawrence said the total cost of the project would equate to approximately $1.2 million. Besides the FEMA grant, the town has $200,000 in a capital reserve fund which would be applied to the project. Both the loan and a request to utilize the reserve fund will be included in the Feb. 7 vote.
He went on to explain that NBT Bank had already reviewed and approved a municipal bond at 3.9 percent interest. Payments would equal approximately $20,000 a year paid over a 20-year period.
“The interest is incredibly low ... and we estimate that the town will save $15,000 a year on operating costs,” said Lawrence.
Members of the community have voiced their concerns about the move, stating that the distance from the center of town will inhibit customer traffic and fail to draw attention to the local businesses.
“We need to preserve our current town hall which can be done without borrowing money while utilizing its historic character to influence Afton’s potential as an attractive community for its residents and its visitors,” said Mary Jo Long in a recent letter to the editor.
The building, which has not been refurbished since its construction in 1861, would require more costs in refurbishing due to the fact that the town garage would cost approximately $700,000 on its own without combing the buildings.
“For what we spend in the old building ... it doesn’t make sense to have three separate buildings,” Lawrence said.
The town will hold its regular meeting on at 7 p.m. Jan. 12, and members of the community are encouraged to attend and voice their opinions.
“This is not a point of contention; it’s not about right or wrong,” said Lawrence. “It’s about whether the town wants to upgrade our existing facilities.”
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