MARION — After opting to repair the worsening condition of the Town House incrementally, Selectmen defended their decision to do so and addressed some of the criticisms they received from the public.  

The Selectmen went on record at Monday’s meeting to address many of the criticisms that came up at a previous special Selectmen’s meeting on Sept. 20. The board’s decision to move forward with a plan for maintenance to the Town House came as a surprise to many residents and some were noticeably upset. 

In May, Town Meeting rejected a $7.9 million proposed renovation that involved stripping the building to its studs, gutting the interior, and modernizing it. The annex building at the back of the Town House would be completely demolished to make room for additional parking space. Another option was a proposal of $5.1 million to build a new Town House on grounds of the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center, which was provided by the VFW. The plan focused on designing a modern, efficient office layout to fit the needs of the departments.

A third option to repair the existing Town House incrementally would address the immediate needs of the structure and cost less than previous proposals. During the Sept. 20 meeting, Selectmen told residents they were moving forward with this option. The response from residents was mixed. 

The Selectmen addressed concerns expressed during that meeting on Tuesday. 

Clerk John Waterman said that after the proposed renovation was voted down at Town Meeting, there was no apparent support for the VFW option either.

The board did not receive any correspondence asking them to pursue an option focused on a new building but they needed to make a decision because the current building is in need of significant repairs. 

According to Waterman, the most balanced approach to the issue was repairing the Town House incrementally.

Vice-Chairman Randy Parker said, “after looking at the finances, it’s smart to do this repair.”

Waterman suggested it was time to put emotions aside in order to keep the Town House.

“We have not been maintaining this building for years,” said Chairman Norman Hills. “We need to use funds to preserve the exterior of the structure, I don’t think there is a choice.”