Town Offices:
Let’s Have Facts

In response to the new town office petition front page news of Dec. 27, it is apparent that the short notice given the voters for the December 10 invitation to get information on the new vote for December 11 was insufficient to get a large number of the residents involved.

Albeit, the 13.2% that showed, the vote was given and should account for a fair vote. It seems that this issue is more of who's who rather than the real issue of the town offices.

I attended the informational meeting and when I requested an answer to the current cost of renovations to the existing building, Jim Hutchinson gave vague answers, he had no figures. Mr. Hutchinson gave the past issue of the crab apple tree more emphasis than giving up-to-date costs.

At first, his reason was the cost might be lower, as there are several contractors who need to work, and Mr. Penrod also presented the past figures and work that went into the current building.

We can't move backwards, but I would hope with all the present-day figures to be made available to the taxpayers that we can make the correct decision to move forward.

As the meeting of Dec. 10 progressed, the issue of moving became more involved and a partial letter read by Jesse Sammis as to his intent of offering the move to the condominium on Pleasant Street, at a price tag of $950,000. The annual maintenance fees were not mentioned, until asked and is currently at $4000 annually (there are no guarantees as to how much the fee may be in two or three or future years).

The cost of doing anything outside the building, i.e. beautification, is also not included. It was estimated that this would cost in the $8,000 to 10,000 range to establish, not to maintain, this for land and property that are not town-owned.

It is in the best interests of taxpayers to know all the fees that have been paid, even the attorneys fees for the crab apple tree issue that came up at $17,000.

Let's give the citizens of Randolph an open and honest forum and allow the paying residents of this community the benefit of making up their own minds on this issue again.

Currently, the Pleasant Street space is an ideal commercial space that could be available to several types of ventures. I would hope the current petition will give all the facts and figures needed to make constructive decisions on this issue.

Hildegard Jones

Randolph