Voters approve additional $150G for mold removal

PEPPERELL -- Residents voted 83-31 at a Special Town Meeting Monday to appropriate $150,000 for mold remediation for the town's public-safety complex.

Combined with another $60,000 that was transferred from the Finance Committee's reserve account last month, the money will pay to clean up mold and replace the HVAC system in the building that houses the police, fire and communications departments.

"It's a safety issue that we have to make plans for," said Selectmen Chairman Stephen Themelis.

Town Administrator John Moak said the mold problem is partially a result of years of cutting maintenance budgets as the town tried to navigate through tough financial times.

"It's basically deferred maintenance that has happened over a decade that has let pipes sweat, and get into the wall board and things of that nature," Moak said. "That's part of the budgets that were cut back over the years."

Moak said the estimates for the project range from $180,000 to $210,000, but the town was asking for the higher amount to prevent a shortfall later.

"We can't come back to you if we're short, we need to keep going with the project. Hopefully it won't run that high," Moak said.

Although resident Phil Durno said the town should appropriate more than $150,000 in case costs rise once the project gets under way, Town Moderator Scott Blackburn said the amount of the appropriation couldn't be raised at Town Meeting.

Some residents raised concerns the mold remediation is an expensive but temporary fix for a building that is going to need major repairs.

Resident Justin Zink said the town should either completely renovate the public-safety complex or find the departments a new, permanent home.

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Voters approve additional $150G for mold removal