FALMOUTH – Falmouth selectmen are pushing for a new senior center to be constructed on a piece of Falmouth High School property which abuts part of a field hockey field.
But apprehension remains within the board as to what exactly should be asked of voters at the November town meeting.
Selectmen Chair Doug Jones clarified at a board meeting Monday night that, should the High School location be chosen, ground breaking on the senior center would not begin until a replacement field is completed.
Jones said he thought asking voters to approve preliminary design funds at the upcoming town meeting, then asking for construction funds at next April’s meeting, makes the most sense.
“What I would prefer is to get the money for the field as much as we can, vote the money for design, even though we aren’t going to spend any of it until we go to the ballot to fund it,” Jones said.
But Selectman Samuel Patterson said he would rather pose a question on the November meeting agenda which stresses overall public approval of the site. Jones, however, expressed that the board did their job in recommending the high school site.
Selectwoman Megan Braga’s view aligned closer with Patterson’s. She said the November question should be phrased within the context of approving the plan as a whole.
No formal decisions were made on the matter at Monday night’s meeting; Jones said they still have more to hash out.
The town has spent years determining where to place the new senior center. The current facility on Dillingham Avenue has been deemed too small.
Falmouth voters approved $300,000 to be spent on the design of a new Senior Center building at Special Town Meeting in April.
Previously, the board considered purchasing the Coonamessett Inn for the center, but ultimately decided against it last month on the basis of expense.
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