Norwell Town Hall Relocation Nears Completion, Move Expected Late May
Select Board discusses timeline for staff transition to new facility as project enters final phase
NORWELL - April 30 - The new Norwell Town Hall is in its final stages of completion with officials anticipating a move-in date towards the end of May. Town Administrator Darleen Sullivan provided an update during the April 30 Select Board meeting, noting that the project is on track despite some remaining items on the temporary occupancy checklist.
"It's looking really good," Sullivan says. "We have some temporary occupancy checklist items. Every Thursday we have our meeting, so tomorrow we're going to meet."
Sullivan explains that one piece of equipment for the vault is scheduled to arrive on May 15, which will help determine the final timeline for the move. Officials are working to ensure the transition doesn't disrupt important town functions.
"We want to make sure that people can come into Town Hall and vote and do all that. So we didn't want to disrupt everything going on this month between tax collection and the election," Sullivan says.
The relocation is expected to take place towards the end of May, with staff moving directly to the new facility once all preparations are complete.
Select Board Vice Chair Andy Reardon, who has been involved throughout the project, expressed confidence that residents will be pleased with the result.
"The building looks great," Reardon says. "I think not only will we be impressed, and tip of the hat to our administrative staff, but I think the town will be impressed that we were able to purchase this building and make the changes that needed to be changed for the amount that we were able to do that with."
Reardon notes that while there has been public concern about the opening timeline, the project is now on the cusp of completion.
The Select Board is preparing to present two articles at the upcoming Town Meeting regarding the Community Preservation Act funding. The articles propose either repealing or reducing the CPA surcharge.
*editor’s note: the Town Meeting was held May 5. Both were CPA articles were defeated.
During the meeting, the board discussed a citizen's petition from Don Mauch that had passed at the previous year's Town Meeting. The petition requested a non-binding ballot question about the CPA to gauge public sentiment.
Sullivan acknowledged that the board had missed putting the non-binding question on the upcoming May 17 ballot, explaining that it was "completely unintentional that it was missed."
The board discussed options for honoring the citizen's petition while avoiding potential confusion with their own CPA articles. They ultimately decided to revisit the matter after Town Meeting to determine next steps based on the outcome of the vote.
Board member Peter Smellie volunteered to present the CPA articles at Town Meeting and plans to provide residents with information about potential tax savings.
"I'll have some numbers to show if your tax bill's this, this is what you can save just to get some rough numbers," Smellie says.
Other Key Items Discussed:
- Eversource Betterment Project: The board received an update on the final phase of Eversource's gas project along Main Street. The project involves installing steel pipe, which requires a more complex installation process than previous phases. Officials are working with Eversource to minimize traffic disruptions while maintaining access to downtown businesses.
- National Grid Pole Installation: The board continued a public hearing regarding a proposed utility pole installation on Main Street. After hearing concerns from a resident about the pole's placement in a field that serves as a turnaround area, the board voted to continue the hearing to May 28 to allow time for National Grid to explore alternative options.
- Double Pole Removal Progress: Town officials reported significant progress on removing double utility poles throughout town. They have established a streamlined process for addressing the remaining poles, including coordination with the regional dispatch center for moving emergency communication lines.
- Planning Board Vacancy: Board member Brian Greenberg announced a vacancy on the Planning Board following Tom Sullivan's resignation. The position will be filled through a joint appointment until the next election. Greenberg encouraged interested residents to apply, noting that the Planning Board typically meets twice monthly with meetings lasting one and a half to two hours.
- Government Study Committee: The board discussed next steps for transitioning their ad hoc Government Study Committee to an official committee appointed by the town moderator. Two current members are ineligible to serve on the official committee due to their service on other town boards. The board plans to recruit new members and formalize the appointment process.
- Town Meeting Preparations: The board assigned motions for the upcoming Town Meeting, dividing responsibilities among members for presenting various articles. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. May 5, with the board planning to present 16 articles, including three for the special Town Meeting.
The Select Board is also gathering information about potential demolition costs for the current Town Hall building as they prepare for discussions about its future use once the move to the new facility is complete.