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We Are the Decision-Makers

In the last meeting of the Academy Community Center Ad Hoc Committee, a committee member stated that a presentation will be made to the public with two options: 1. What we can (and can’t) get for the $15.9 million that we approved, and 2. The revised/extra cost to complete the project as presented to the public at the referendum. For example, the amount we approved may cover the walls and utility hookups for a kitchen/café but not the actual build-out, appliances, or finishes.

The Board of Selectmen (BOS) wants to hold a referendum in February to approve or deny additional bonding for just the overage amount for Option 2. If the extra bonding gets denied, the BOS has told us that the original amount approved will still be used, even if that means we will have an incomplete building. If it is denied, it naturally follows that our town leaders will find another way to pay for the remainder of the project outside of extra bonding, so our taxes will pay for it anyway. The public loses in either scenario.

The only fair path forward is to gather all the latest accurate costs and design, present it to the public, and repeat the referendum for the entire project. If the public still wants a community center, it will pass. If not, let’s stop spending on this and move on. It will be very important for everyone to show up and speak our minds at the town meeting when these options are finally presented. We are the decision-makers, and we should not forget that.

Janet Nicolini

Madison