Town Hall Plan Heading to TM

A Westborough Town Hall renovation proposal will reach voters at the March 16 annual town meeting, Selectman and Municipal Building Committee member George Barrette said Tuesday night.

The design review board will review elements of the renovation at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the Forbes Municipal Building, according to the board’s agenda.

“The municipal building committee will work hard this winter to prepare an article and work to get it approved,” Barrette said.

Voters at the March 17, 2012 special town meeting rejected a proposed $22 million plan for town hall and Forbes renovations, as well as a new community center.

In September, residents told the building committee that moving some town offices to leased space at Bay State Commons, and selling Westborough Town Hall, would be too expensive.

Residents urged the committee to consider other options, such as moving town offices to other town-owned buildings while renovating town hall, perhaps in phases.

The design board also on Thursday will review plans for the new fire station, at 8 a.m.

The municipal building committee hopes to “get shovels into the ground as quickly as possible” on the fire station, Barrette said. Barrette serves on the building committee.

to design and build the new station next to the current Milk Street facility, which will be demolished. The advisory finance committee recommended transferring $1,200,000 from free cash and borrowing $10,008,000.

Construction is targeted to start next summer.