PROCTOR—Proctor Town Offices held an open house Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to provide residents an opportunity to tour the current town office and the former OMYA Lab Building, review drawings and cost estimates, and ask questions. The Select Board will schedule additional opportunities as needed for voters to discuss the proposal and ask questions. In addition, an informational meeting will be held at the Proctor Junior-Senior High School on Monday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. for the purpose of explaining the proposed improvements and financing details.
Proctor town officials have been working with the College of St. Joseph to develop plans to relocate the town office to the former OMYA Lab Building next door to the current town office. OMYA donated the Lab Building to the College of St. Joseph with the understanding that the college would share the space with the town. A memorandum of agreement has been executed by the town and the college, outlining the terms for the joint use of the building and for the declaration of condominium establishing ownership and use of the building.
The proposed town office space will occupy three floors of the front portion of the building and the college will occupy the rear portion of the building. A joint-use common area which will provide ADA compliant building access, and restroom facilities will be constructed between the town and the college areas. Robert Carl Williams Associates, P.C., Architects and Planners of Pittsfield, Vt., has prepared drawings showing the division of building space and renovations needed to bring the building into compliance with building codes and ADA requirements. Drawings and cost estimates for the work can be viewed at the current Proctor town office, 45 Main Street, Proctor.
The proposed Lab Building office space addresses several deficiencies in the current town office. These include handicapped access to the clerk’s office, meeting room, manager’s office and restrooms; adequate, secure and fire-rated vault; sufficient employee and public work space; and adequate storage space for town records.
After applying grant funds the town received from the Mortimer Proctor Fund, the estimated amount needed to finance the town space renovations and the town’s share of the common space construction is $800,000.
The Select Board has warned a special meeting for Nov. 17, at the Proctor Junior-Senior High School to vote a general obligation bond in an amount not to exceed $800,000, subject to reductions from the receipt of available state and federal grants-in-aid, and other financial assistance, be issued for the purpose of financing the acquisition of an interest in the Lab Building and converting a portion thereof, including common areas, for use as a municipal office.
Anyone having questions or wishing additional information can contact Select Board Chair Bill Champine, Town Clerk Celia Lisananti, or Town Manager Stan Wilbur at the town office, 45 Main Street, Proctor, or by phone at 802-459-3333.
