Assurances needed on town hall project

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To the Editor:

The need to vote on the proposed construction of a new town hall is rapidly approaching.

Anyone who has been in town hall within the past year knows that it is inadequate to meet the town’s needs. From experience, they should be aware that construction costs increase over time and never decrease. So voting to approve the construction of a new town hall ought to be a no-brainer.

The only concern regarding the building is the question of its design. Will the new building be

efficient? Will it be expandable in the future? Is the current proposed cost the best the town’s money can buy?

Before deciding yes or no, one must look at previously constructed town buildings, e.g., the

expensive, overly opulent and underutilized fire station. The members of the current building committee are, primarily, the same people who advocated for the fire station. They are the ones who are being relied upon to validate the new design.

As a person who will have to pay for the proposed building through a tax increase, I would rather see the expenditure (I realize that this will be very unpopular) on hiring a new firm or person with expertise to critique the proposed design. This is the only way that I could be assured that the money will be well spent.

Abraham Seiman
Oak Bluffs