Senior Center Plan To Be Reworked

Senior Center Plan To Be Reworked
Grant funds still on the table
Rebecca Leonard
News Correspondent

HUBBARDSTON  Now that the senior center has been voted down at the ballot again, questions and confusion have risen about what the town plans to do with the $498,000 grant that the state awarded the center last year.

“Most people are aware of the fact that the state grant was specifically allocated to provide funds for the architectural design of the senior center, to do the initial site prep, to install a well and to design and install a septic system,” stated Town Administrator Anita Scheipers, at a Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Monday.

According to Chairman Daniel Galante, although the center was voted down again, selectmen have decided to create a better plan with designs and concrete costs before they decide to put it on the ballot again for next year.

However, they have decided to move ahead with the steps that are required to create a design for a new senior center.

Last December, the senior center was awarded a grant of $498,000 from the state with the help of state Sen. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, and former state Sen. Stephen Brewer.

The grant is meant only to fund the senior center and must be used before July 30, 2016.

According to Ms. Scheipers, the money has already been deposited and any that’s not used by that date, will go back to the state. So far, design costs have already been initiated, including the hiring of an owner’s project manager.

The state requires that the town hire an owner’s project manager to insure there is good value in the design that is being put together. The town interviewed four companies for the position and decided to set up a contract with Cardinal Construction, out of Worcester.

“We have to make sure he hits the ground running,” said Mr. Galante, concerned about the date the grant must be used by.

Although selectmen are up to speed on what is happening with the money, there has been confusion, concern and heated feelings circulating.

Confusion on what the plans were resulted in a letter written by one of the members of the senior center to the Board of Selectmen. There was a concern from rumors that selectmen would use the money for other ventures other than the senior center, which they said is untrue.

Selectman Michael Stauder responded in his own letter saying “instead of whining about (the senior center losing at the ballot) and stirring up unnecessary controversy you should help make a better plan the entire town can rally around and embrace.”

Each step in the plan selectmen have configured has a dollar amount attached to it in order to budget out the grant.

The next step is hiring an architectural firm that has experience in building senior centers and public safety buildings.

An idea raised by Mr. Stauder, to convert the building into a senior and community center, was considered but doubt was expressed that the grant would cover more than strictly a senior center.

Selectmen Vice Chairman Raeanne Siegel mentioned that she would like to see another survey go out to residents to get more feedback than the first.

The proposed amount to send out a new townwide survey would cost $800.

Mr. Galante agreed, saying that it’s been a while so it might be more personal now so they could get more results.