Meeting Notes
Bradford Community Forum on the Future of Town Hall
10 AM to Noon, Saturday, January 14, 2012 Bradford Elementary School
Opening of Meeting – Selectman Harry Wright
Goals/Methods of Session – Facilitator Jeff Taylor
This meeting is to be viewed as an educational session. At least two groups will be sharing information, presenting their findings to date, seeking in-put from the audience, and understanding what additional information they will need to be gathering as the project goes forward for further discussion.
Presentation by the Town Hall Restoration Committee – Chair Eileen Kelly
Chair Kelly introduced her committee, and relayed their activity over the years, and especially since the fall of 2011 when the committee began meeting weekly. In terms of background, parts of the Town Hall building date to 1797. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1863 it was taken apart and relocated from Bradford Center to its current location on Main Street. It has served a wide variety of activities over the years, from concerts to plays to school functions.
In 2011 the building was closed because of mold issues, with the offices relocated to the basement of the Community Center and the Police Department moved initially to a trailer and then to the Bradford Plaza next to the Post Office. The Committee is hoping to finalize plans to take to Town Meeting in 2012 that would allow the offices to come back into the facility. That would likely include a new basement. Ultimately, the Committee would like to see the second floor rehabilitated and utilized as well.
The Committee has spoken with lending institutions about financing opportunities, especially with the current low interest rates. It has documented that in the last 6 years the Town has spent some $216,000 in emergency repairs to the Town Hall. It is felt that that money would be better used to undertake permanent improvements.
Questions from the Community included:
Whether plans were available for examination? (Not as of yet, but there will be if the project goes forward.)
Whether there is a schedule? (Hoping to meet all requirements to get a warrant article to 2012 Town Meeting.)
What kind of condition is the Town Hall in? (All reports are that it is structurally sound and that the mold issue can be corrected.)
What kinds of grants are being pursued? (All kinds! State, Federal, others.)
Is there a desire to increase the square footage? (Not the footprint, but adding a full basement would add 4,000 square feet.)
What would that be used for? (Some discussion about it being used to house the Police Department.)
What would the financial impact of this project be on tax rate? (Has not been determined at this point.)
Can Town Hall be moved to another location? (Has not been evaluated, but it could be. It was noted that the former Baptist Church was moved east on Route 4 in Epsom.)
Lots of concerns about parking on the current site. (Noted that with only a half acre site, this may always be a problem, with people having to park on the street and walk during major events, as they do in most small NH towns.)
Does the Historical Society have an interest in owning/maintaining the building? (No.)
Several site concerns: septic, well location, potable water. (Current site contains the building’s septic system and it is sufficiently far away from the well. The water is potable, but has a high iron content and looks rusty.)
Several questions/comments about the need for a comprehensive evaluation of what the town’s complete municipal space needs are. (Town Hall Restoration Committee has been focused on making that facility acceptable so as to return the Town Offices there.)
Further discussion about the need for a comprehensive discussion about what needs to be in Town Hall.
Presentation by the Town Hall Relocation Committee – Marlene Freyler
Ms. Freyler introduced herself by saying that she had been in Bradford for some 35 years and ran two businesses here. She indicated that her group would be bringing forth a very specific proposal for consideration at the 2012 Town Meeting, namely that $25,000 be appropriated for the installation of a bathroom (including a shower) on the lower level of the Community Center. This would both increase the convenience of the current arrangement of the Town Offices in this space, and increase the utility of the entire complex as an emergency shelter facility.
Ms. Freyler felt that this arrangement could allow the offices to stay there for some number of years while other arrangements were considered, especially arrangements concerning the Naughton property to the rear of the Community Center. This might be the site of a new Town Hall. It might become elderly housing. There were opportunities for road construction across the Naughton Property. Some recreation facilities might be located there as well.
Questions were raised concerning timing and scheduling. (The $25,000 appropriation request will be brought forth in 2012. The other activities were beyond the scope of the committee’s efforts.)
Again the issue of a comprehensive plan for all facilities was raised. The placement of the Police Department, Town Offices, etc. Should the Police be renting/buying the facility they are currently in. (Again, the committee felt that was beyond their scope.)
Questions were raised as to whether or not any activities were relocated from the Community Center when the Town Offices moved in. (Things have been re-arranged and re-scheduled, but the activities are still there and the constituents are being served.)
Closing Comments
There were comments from several individuals to the effect that Bradford is a small town and people need to work both cooperatively and comprehensively to create solutions that work for the Town as a whole.
Several people spoke passionately about their fond memories of activities in the Town Hall, and their hopes that it would soon be a vibrant facility again, and would not lie vacant for long.
Selectman Wright thanked all for coming and participating.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeff Taylor, facilitator
1/19/2012