It was 10 p.m. Wednesday when Town Meeting turned its attention to a set of warrants critical to the town’s finances and infrastructure: capital projects. The list of projects varied in both scale and type, from replacing copiers in town offices ($28,000) to $19.6 million for an addition to the Cogswell Building, a recently constructed town facility next to the Recycling and Transfer Station, that would be expanded to become the new maintenance facility for Department of Public Works vehicles and equipment.
Each warrant that was brought to the floor passed, though the value and timing of several projects was questioned during the discussion period.
The most significant vote approved the plan for Cogswell. Though the voice vote, which required a two-thirds majority, included a significant number of nays, Town Meeting voted to move ahead with the plan to finance the project through debt.
Proponents pointed to the poor (and deteriorating) condition of the current facility at 470 Dedham Ave. which, among other issues, is flood-prone.
Members opposed to the article raised two core issues: first, whether this is a good time to add significant debt to the town’s balance sheet, particularly with the renovation of Pollard Middle School about to require major financing. The second objection was more visceral: Is Town Meeting breaking a promise it effectively made when members approved the Cogswell Building, which began construction in 2018? Several members, including Planning Board member Artie Crocker, recalled that the proponents of that project had said there would be no further expansion of that site as opponents voiced concerns over traffic and related impacts.
“In this hall,” said member Holly Clarke from Precinct D, “the question was asked, ‘Is it just going to be storage? Was it not going to bring more traffic?’ And we were told it was not. It was only going to be the Jack Cogswell Building, and so we voted for it. I can appreciate that ideas may change, but geography doesn’t change and traffic certainly hasn’t changed except for getting worse.”
The Cogswell project was presented as addressing the most urgent of DPW’s infrastructure needs, but perhaps only the first of a four-phase facility improvement. Finance Committee member John Connolly made it very clear that the DPW may have to wait a long time before Town Meeting will approve a Phase 2. “In our discussions with the DPW about this project,” he said, “we emphasized that this project might be the only one for the DPW that we can afford for at least the next five to 10 years. In other words, this Cogswell Building addition might be all that we can afford for now. And so are you, DPW, sure that this is the right way to proceed? The answer that we received to that question was yes.”
The other project that brought significant comment was nearly $2.4 million to create a large “young adults” area for high school students by glassing it in and remaking a portion of the upper floor of the public library. Proponent Rob Petitt from Precinct D, who is chair of the library trustees committee, said the library is seeing record circulation and 300,000 visits per year, including 70-100 high school students each afternoon. The students, he said, use the library as a “third space” — neither home nor school — where they can congregate, study and spend time in a free, safe environment. That use of the library, however, has an impact on the library’s other patrons. The new buildout would create sound barriers and encourage the teens to gather in one area.
“This renovation is the culmination of an extensive process to study how our library is used and how we can best utilize the space,” said Petitt. “The current library or facility was renovated and significantly expanded 20 years ago. While the building is well maintained, community needs have evolved.”
Opponents of the library build-out wondered if this is a must-have investment. “I want to assure all of you and my constituents that I’m not opposed to libraries,” said Adam Cole of Precinct I, who is also a math teacher at Needham High.
“I’m not opposed to teenagers or puppies or rainbows. I’m an educator of teenagers, a coach and a frequent user of the local library. However, I oppose it because I consider it a want and not a need. It aims to address a narrow window of crowding and noise in the after-school hours from between about 2:45 and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the school year.” He went on to say, “This expansion is going to take up a significant amount of the second floor and will be devoid of teenagers for a significant amount of the time during the day and during the school year.”
Despite the concerns, the library warrant passed easily when brought to a vote. Also approved was rebuilding the main steps to the high school, a $1 million project; putting in new, safer, more versatile lighting, sound and rigging in the Newman Elementary School theater; and updates to the Center at the Heights to improve the gym area for Needham senior citizens and to upgrade the kitchen to allow more meals to be prepared.
Town Meeting will address the remaining warrant items beginning at 7 p.m. on Monday evening.
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