Revised building has smaller footprint, lower tax increase

MENDON – When voters head to the polls in November, they will be casting their vote for a possible debt exclusion, and resulting temporary tax increase, for a new Mendon Senior and Community Center (MSCC) to be built on town-owned land on North Avenue near Milford Street. 

At May’s Annual Town Meeting, voters defeated the plan for the project which was 2,000 square feet larger and expected to cost $1.3 million more. 

The plan has now been decreased in size and cost. 

Selectperson Michael Goddard said town officials used what they learned at spring Town Meeting to adjust the plan. 

“I give the [MSCC] committee kudos because it’s not lost on them how the spring went,” said Goddard. “I think taking that feedback, and the feedback through the whole process, to reevaluate the cost, location, and continue to determine the need, has led to this new proposal.” 

The newly configured building has a smaller footprint (a decrease of 2,000 square feet), less storage, no garage, some function rooms are smaller (though the larger function room remained untouched), the food pantry was resized and reconfigured, and some services were moved from the main floor to the lower level. Parking was decreased but still provides approximately 100 spots. 

The building is positioned in a way that allows for future expansion. 

There is no cost associated with the land since it is town-owned property. 

 The cost of the project is expected to be $11.9 million, down from $13.2 million proposed in the spring. Town Administrator Jeremy Stull said the town expects to bond 90% of the project which would result in a tax increase of between $130 and $135 (approximately $11.25 per month) on a house valued at $500,000. 

“We think the time is right,” said Phil Cieply, who has been in town for 40 years and is a member of the MSCC, acknowledging the lessons learned in May. “I think people had other priorities that they didn’t see recognized.” Those concerns related to capital planning, affordable and diverse housing, recreational fields, and more. 

Cieply said, “I think this has been talked through quite a bit, not just the senior center but the community needs as well…There are more strategic planning processes than we’ve probably had in the past.” 

An overview of how the proposed Mendon Senior and Community Center would be built on the corner of North Avenue and Milford Street. Source: www.mendonma.gov

Advocates say a new senior and community center is needed for program and function space. The current senior center was built 37 years ago and was added onto 18 years ago. There is not enough room in the building to properly operate its programming effectively, nor is it ADA-compliant. The food pantry is located down a narrow staircase into a section of the basement. There is one function room making it impossible to conduct multiple programs at one time, and there are space limitations for staff who need to have private service conversations with patrons.

“There’s a lot of things that manage to get done but this provides a level of privacy and proper set up,” said Goddard, noting Mendon’s senior population continues to grow and town officials are working on ways to help seniors age in place. “I want to be part of a community that supports our veterans and seniors.” 

Cieply said, “I think the seniors deserve the respect for all the years they served the community and it’s a solid investment to give them a little more comfort in their later years. The Mendon Center will also become the heart of the community”

It was noted that the veterans currently meet at a local restaurant because there is no availability at the current senior center. 

The question will need to pass at the general election ballot box on Nov. 5 (simple majority) and at Special Town Meeting on Nov. 18 (two-thirds majority). Mendon does not have a quorum requirement. 

If it passes, there will be an adaptive reuse evaluation of the current senior center to see how it can be repurposed. 

The last information session before the vote will be held on Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall or virtual. For more information, visit www.mendonma.gov/home/bulletins/proposed-new-senior-center-presentation