To the Editor:

There has been a good deal of incorrect information recently published in this paper regarding a possible addition to the Woolwich Municipal Building, and we would like to clarify a few things.

First, there was no vote taken by the townspeople at the May Town Meeting on approving a building addition. The building addition item was removed from the warrant by a unanimous vote of the selectboard and never made it to Town Meeting.

After a report from the original Building Committee at Town Meeting, which was on the warrant, there was consensus from the citizens to move forward and appoint a new, larger Building Committee to continue to discuss the issue.

We had a tremendous response to our call for people who wanted to serve. The Selectboard appointed nine regular members and three alternates to the committee. They are from all walks of life and of differing opinions.

None of the original four, Dave King, Dale Chadbourne, Jack Shaw and Bill Longley, serve on the current committee. The Building Committee took the work already accomplished from the first committee and has worked to try to come up with options to bring to the people at Town Meeting in May 2013. Before any building can begin, it must be approved by the voters at Town Meeting.

After a good bit of discussion, the Selectboard did recently approve the committee spending up to $8,000 for drawings. This money comes from a Building Maintenance Fund which residents approved some years ago to use on municipally-owned buildings, and does not require any tax increase.

On a recent Monday evening, the architect working with the committee presented two options, neither of which include a basement. The Building Committee, chaired by Dana Lindsey, plans to have an information table at the polls on Nov. 6, as well as begin public hearings as early as December. In the meantime, the Times Record did accurately report that the committee also plans to conduct a community survey.

The point is, this committee of volunteers is actively seeking citizen input on this very important issue that affects the future of our town.

Regardless of whether you support an addition or not, we hope all residents will respond thoughtfully and honestly.

The Building Committee’s meetings are always open to the public, as are all committee and Selectboard meetings, and all are welcome to attend.

The Selectboard meets the first and third Mondays of each month in the Woolwich School Cafeteria at 6 p.m.

Dale Chadbourne,
Lloyd Coombs,
Allison Hepler, David King
and Jason Shaw
Woolwich