In the past, Memorial Hall benefited the town as a community meeting place. The one time I was in Memorial Hall was for my high school graduation in 1980. There is no longer a need for a hall for such community use as the town now has two new expensive high schools and an equally expensive town hall for residents to gather and meet.
It is argued that the town needs a first-class mid-size venue for events that attract people to town where they will spend their money at local businesses. I wonder how much of this argument is inferred and not quantified. I doubt the supposed extra spending by visitors will offset the $45 million-plus price tag by increased taxes on local restaurants. For the town to break even on such an expensive project and not affect taxpayers, the town would have to recover almost $2 million a year in fees and increased taxes over a 30-year period after maintenance and operations cost. If a mid-size venue is economically feasible, perhaps the town should find a private company to take over Memorial Hall. The town could lease out the property and really benefit the tax base.
Town homeowners have seen significant tax increases over the past few years. Still Plymouth’s roads and a number of town-owned properties are in poor shape. The town is also facing the near future expense of building a new middle school.
I also am concerned about the town’s record for management of such a project. Recent projects have seen major cost overuns. It took an extra half million dollars to build a small number of affordable condos at the Oak Street School and more than $3 million was spent on the little used Simes House in Manomet.
I understand that people like to save buildings for nostalgia’s sake, but as the Oak Street School and Sites House projects show, that often doesn’t end well. Now is not the time to take on the rehabilitation of Memorial Hall. It is better to tear down the existing hall, finance the fixing of town roads, repairs on essential town buildings, and get financially ready to replace PCIS which is over 50 years old. In the future, when the town is not facing dramatic tax increases and is financially in a better place, then look at spending money of a luxury item that few town residences benefit from.
– Thomas Delisle