FRAMINGHAM – A Blue Ribbon Municipal Buildings Plan Committee presented its findings and recommendations to the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. See the website:
This report recognized the need for providing additional office space and repairing and/or replacing part of Memorial Building. We do not need to wait for a new study and a report from another Blue Ribbon Municipal Buildings Committee.
We have professional building management for the schools and the government buildings. These experts know what the City’s needs are. We have an opportunity to address these needs with the Perini building, and the mayor has negotiated the purchase.
If the issue is the cost, the City Council Finance Subcommittee should address this with the mayor and the CFO.
It is not the role of a citizen committee.
A Blue Ribbon Committee implies experts with experience and credentials. We can always benefit by having citizens provide input on what are the needs of the City.
And, they represent the will of the residents to spend tax payer funds. However, this project should not be held up waiting for new input. A citizen committee can provide input if the city does not know what the needs are but, in this case, the need is recognized and we have a plan for meeting this need.
Joel Winett
former Town Meeting Member and former Town Moderator
Framingham