After many years of study and delay, I am encouraged that Madison voters will finally have a chance in February to vote on three transformational projects for our town. Each proposal enables us to close a chapter on Madison’s past, and together embrace an exciting future.

The School Renewal Plan is a comprehensive, bipartisan plan for our educational facilities that has been in the works for many years. By voting “Yes,” we can choose to strategically invest in a combination of renovation and new construction rather than throwing critical dollars into antiquated infrastructure. This plan modernizes our elementary schools, makes them more secure, improves the quality of existing buildings, eliminates maintenance burdens, and shrinks our school footprint from six buildings to four, all at a cost comparable to keeping the status quo.

Academy’s future has been debated for decades with many options explored. A community center has the potential to transform a derelict building into a strategic asset that offers art, educational, and recreational programming for all ages. With a 125-seat theater, large gym, and three floors of airy, light-filled rooms, Academy could become a vibrant, downtown hub for social and cultural activities, while creating a year-round boost to local businesses.

And the sale of Island Avenue School solidifies the future of this property, eliminates a cost burden for the town, secures a home for a private school, maintains the character of the neighborhood, and generates needed funds for other town assets.

Each proposal offers a strong value proposition to Madison taxpayers by using our tax dollars responsibly and wisely by investing in our facilities for the future while eliminating the burdens of our past. There is an opportunity cost to further procrastination, so let’s keep Madison moving forward by voting “Yes” on all three questions on Feb. 15.

First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons

Madison