By Curt Peterson
On Monday, Jan. 30, the Killington Select Board approved an article for Town Meeting to purchase and renovate an existing building at 2046 Route 4 for it’s new town hall.
Selectman Jim Haff explained the evolution from a “new town hall” concept included in a 2019 six-year plan, to the currently proposed acquisition.
“The original concept was to find a piece of land and build a new town hall,” Haff told the Mountain Times.
He said building a new facility had been estimated to cost between $4.5 and $5 million.
The new plan will provide 8,000 sq. ft. of space for town offices, for a cost of $1.2 million to purchase the building plus $400,000 estimated for renovation work.
Within the new building, 3,000 sq. ft. will continue to be occupied by the U.S. Post Office.
“There’s a current 15-year lease from Post Office on this property,” Haff said, “that will transfer to the town when and if we take ownership of the building.”
“Going this route instead of building new space will save taxpayers a lot of money,” Haff said.
Voters will be asked to approve Article 4 on Town Meeting Day, to secure the purchase and move forward with the planned move.
The article reads: “Shall general obligation bonds or notes of the Town of Killington in an amount not to exceed One Million Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,600,000), subject to reduction from available state and federal grants-in-aid and the application of available reserves, to be financed for a period not to exceed ten (10), years, be issued for the purpose of purchasing and renovating the property at 2046 US Route 4 to become the new Town Hall?”
One online attendee at the meeting Monday referred to “the old town hall which we all know and love,” and asked Haff what had triggered the drive to replace it.
Haff said the town had outgrown the current building on River Road. Plans for the site included updating the Recreation Department area, the town pool and the town offices, all to be completed during FY2025.
“It was part of the sustainability budget the Select Board created six years ago,” Haff answered.
Additionally, the town historical society has already expressed interest in using the existing security vault for its records. Steve Finer said the old town hall, which has an elevator, could provide space for Killington’s seniors as well as other recreation activities.
