Renovation coming for town hall

OTISFIELD — Selectmen reviewed a second draft for proposed renovations to the town office at a meeting on Wednesday, March 16, and decided to go forward to the next phase of the project.

For the town, the next step would include an energy audit to determine what effect the proposed changes might have on the building's heating efficiency. One change that an energy audit would need to assess is a proposal to reduce the height of the ceiling in the main top-floor conference room by several feet to eight feet three inches.

"The next thing for us would be to get in touch with an energy auditor," said Selectman Rick Micklon, who is the owner of a home-building company. Changing the height of the ceiling is designed to save on heating costs. If the audit doesn't turn up any advantages, he said, there will be no reason to go forward with that particular change.

The large conference room would also be reduced in size by roughly half, with the rest of the space becoming office space for town officials.

Additional renovations include the installation of a new wooden staircase leading outside behind the conference room. To satisfy code requirements that the building was previously grandfathered in against, a new ramp down to the first floor from the bottom of the new staircase, and a paved walkway to the front of the building will have to be built to accommodate handicapped visitors.

In addition, the town is exploring the purchase of an elevator to take those in wheelchairs between the two floors without being forced to go outside.

New money will not have to be raised for the project through town meeting, because resources currently in the buildings and grounds budget are sufficient to cover its cost.

Micklon expressed hope that renovations would begin in two months, after the energy audit is completed and the architecture firm they are working with has completed an electrical plan and incorporated a few further changes into the designs. David Hart of Fish Street design in Fryeburg has been doing the architectural work.

While all agreed that they should move forward, one member of the board did express concern about the timing of the project. Selectman Lenny Adler wondered if the renovations were necessary at a time when other buildings might be better served.

"There is one thing that concerns me a lot. We have roof issues at the community hall and at the fire station," he said, referring to other buildings that the town is considering renovations on. "It seems that we're starting a lot of projects and I would like to see us just finish one project and then start another."

The Otisfield Board of Selectmen is scheduled to meet next on April 6, at 7 p.m. in the town office.