Since Madison residents approved converting the Academy School building into a community center via referendum in 2022, estimated costs have risen by nearly $4 million. The board is now considering holding a second referendum in early 2025 to validate or reject a budget increase. At a June 24 Board of Selectmen meeting, Colliers International, the consulting firm hired by the town to work on the project, presented a revised estimate of nearly $19.8 million for construction, 24% more than originally expected. Two days later, the selectmen discussed the possibility of calling a second referendum to fill the budget gap on the same day as the November presidential election or in February 2025. Reasons for the budget increase stem from a combination of inflation, unforeseen work such as the need to move the building’s septic system, and a project scope expansion. Should the construction bids for the project exceed the amount authorized in 2022, the town would have to choose between increasing the budget in a second referendum or narrowing the project scope.
Madison Debates Referendum as Community Center Costs Rise by Nearly $4M