News

Where should Town office go?
Public invited to speak
By Elizabeth Prata

Gray-- Monday night the Gray Council and Manager discussed the options before them regarding where to put an expanded Town Office. The current Town Office on Shaker Road next to Stimson Hall is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and that the employees there need, and will need in the future, more room to house the records, conduct business, and function in a more efficient manner. The question is, where to go? They have several options they are considering now.

The Council set up a Town office Center Committee two years ago and the committee studied the issue. The came to a virtual tie with a recommendation that included accepting the Pennell Institute from the School Department when offered back to the town and moving in there with the SAD Administration housed with Town Office employees, and to stay where they are but expand into the Old Post office Building next to current town office.

The Council developed a list of positives and negatives for each of the five options that they are currently studying. These options are a rough draft of early discussions and no decisions have been made. The Council is setting a public input hearing for their meeting July 20 at 7 p.m. in Stimson Hall.

If accepting Pennell Institute from the SAD and moving in there with the SAD as tenants, the second floor currently housing the Historical Society would not be ADA compliant. Additionally, the space needs issue may not be solved, as there hasn't been a determination whether there is space for the cable committee to have a broadcast room, which would necessitate the retention of Stimson Hall for meeting space.

On the other hand, if there is room for the cable committee, that may trigger the sale of historic Stimson Hall, and all its recent capital improvements.
The Council has many options available to them.

The most recent option was brought forward by Gray citizen Andy Upham. Upham had said to Manager Mitchell A. Berkowitz that since the Town owns both the Town Office and next-door Post office, razing both old buildings and building new on the already-owned land, is an option that hadn't been considered. It is now Option 4B.

Costs for each option will be generated at a later date, after initial discussions, and assessments that may include a market analysis and evironmental appraisal of Pennell.

Town of Gray Discussion Concepts for Potential Options for Town Office
The following options were generated by the Gray Town Council:

The Councils' objective was to identify potential solutions for town office space needs, develop conceptual estimates of capital and annual net operating costs, and list positive and negative impacts of each option.

Option 1: Stay in current town office space

Capital cost elements:
ADA access for lower level; bathroom upgrades
Insulation, ceiling, wiring, etc.


Positive impacts:
Cheapest solution
No debt service expense
Little disruption to town operations
May lead to lease/sale of post office asset
Allows accessibility to those who are challenged with stairs to the CEO, Tax Assessor and Planning Staff and all deeds of record and tax maps.

Negative impacts:
Shortage of space for public records access, meetings, storage, staff by about #2,000 sq ft

Annual operating costs:
Should be unchanged/slightly improved

Option 2: Move downstairs portion of town office into old post office building; use downstairs for storage, meeting space

Capital cost elements:
Town office capital items from option #1
Renovation est. from Oest Assoc. engineering study for post office space
Misc. moving expenses
Minimal canopy between two buildings

Positive impacts:
Provides square footage in excess of space analysis needs
Allows for more efficient and effective use of current spaces
Unlikely to have any debt service expense
Little disruption to town operations

Negative impacts:
Staff would be located in two buildings
Some duplicative operating costs with staff in two buildings
Each building is not the most energy efficient

Annual operating costs:
Should increase with operation of post office portion

Option 3: Unite/renovate town office and old post office with full ADA compliance

Capital cost elements:
Oest Assoc. engineering study estimates for renovations/construction
Misc. moving expenses

Positive impacts:
Allows for more renovations and further efficiencies
Connects two buildings under one roof
Maximum square footage available, far in excess of current needs
Allows accessibility to those who are challenged with stairs to the CEO, Tax Assessor, Planning Staff, and all deeds of record and tax maps.

Negative impacts:
Most disruptive option for town operations
Renovations are still based upon old foundation and infrastructures
Would require debt service

Annual operating costs:
Approximately that of running two buildings
Debt service expense

Option 4A: Build new town offices (location unknown)

Capital cost elements:
Base construction est. on #5,100 sq.ft. space needs
Land costs, unless town property can be identified
Misc. moving costs

Positive impacts:
Design and build to program needs for ultimate efficiency
Very little disruption to town operations as use old offices until new complete
May lead to lease/sale of town assets to offset costs
Potential debt service likely to be short term only
Allows accessibility to those who are challenged with stairs to the CEO, Tax Assessor, Planning Staff, and all deeds of record and tax maps.

Negative impacts:
Short term debt service until town assets sold
Location To Be Determined

Annual operating costs:
Should be unchanged/slightly improved
Option 4B: Build New Town Office in the same location; Operate with Temporary Facilities:

Capital cost elements:
Base construction est. on #5,100 sq.ft. space needs
Transition costs for temporary operations
Misc. moving costs to final destination

Positive impacts:
Design and build to program needs for ultimate efficiency
Uses current site on Rt. 26
Requires two moves but allows for minimal disruptions to town operations
Allows accessibility to those who are challenged with stairs to the CEO, Tax Assessor, Planning Staff, and all deeds of record and tax maps.

Negative impacts:
Long term debt service less any sale of remaining town assets
Eliminates likely sale of any remaining town assets to offset debt service

Annual operating costs:
Should be unchanged/slightly improved

Option 5.A.: Move into Pennell with minimal renovations

Capital cost elements:
Minimum renovations required for occupancyMisc. moving costs

Positive impacts:
Works to restore historical building
Allow total space of 6,333 sq ft with potential to use second floor and Anderson Lab
Next door to Newbegin and other town property
Share office space/operating costs with MSAD #15
Very little disruption to town operations; use old offices until new complete
May lead to lease/sale of town assets
Allows accessibility to those who are challenged with stairs to the CEO, Tax Assessor, Planning Staff, and all deeds of record and tax maps.
Allows for the development of a Downtown Park area or Town Common

Negative impacts:
Possible short term debt service until town assets sold
Future capital improvement needs in excess of $1M
Based upon established aging infrastructure
Based upon a lease relationship with a tenant

Annual operating costs:
Should be unchanged/slightly improved
Possible short term debt service expense
Offset by MSAD#15 rent/cost sharing

Option 5.B.: Move into Pennell with full renovations
Capital cost elements:
Pennell study report
Misc. moving costs
Debt service

Positive impacts:
Restores historical building
Allow total space of 6,333 sq ft with potential to use second floor and Anderson Lab. Right, the Lab. No plans to use or open the Lab ahve been discussed
Next door to Newbegin and other town property
Share office space/operating costs with MSAD #15
Very little disruption to town operations; use old offices until new complete
May lead to lease/sale of town assets
Allows accessibility to those who are challenged with stairs to the CEO, Tax Assessor, Planning Staff, and all deeds of record and tax maps.

Negative impacts:
Debt service expense
Based upon established aging infrastructure
Based upon a lease relationship with a tenant
Sale of some town assets may not be desirable

Annual operating costs:
Should be slightly improved over minimal renovation operating costs
Debt service expense at high level then reduced by sale of town assets to moderate level
Offset by MSAD#15 rent/cost sharing

Tasks to be done:
Need assessment/market estimate for potential proceeds from sale of Town Office post office, and Stimson Hall buildings
Gather conceptual cost estimates based on networking, research
Review and write up the positive and negative impacts for each option
Assign tasks and establish timeline