Mayor Submits $34M In Bonds For Fire Station, Library In Marlboro

MARLBOROUGH, MA—The mayor this week requested two major bonds for Marlborough building projects to City Council. Arthur Vigeant asked for $23.7 million to expand the library and $10 million to build a new fire station on the west side of the city.

Councilors referred these requests to the Finance Committee to discuss at its meeting on Nov. 13.

The proposed library project, said Vigeant in a letter to the City Council, would increase the size of the building and also renovate and update its services. The cost comes on top of a grant awarded to Marlborough for $10.2 million from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The city has until Jan. 12 to approve the grant and raise the rest of the money needed for the library.

"Any cost in excess of the city's share must be made up by the Library's Capital Campaign Committee, which is attempting to raise funds to support the Library project," Vigneat said in the letter. "They have made some progress but have much work to do in the months ahead to secure additional funds. At the time of the City Council's approval of the grant application to the MBLC, I cautioned that the city's share must not exceed $10 million. With this bond order, I am recommending that the city increase its commitment to the Library project but limit it to a total of $13.6 million."

"Our debt service from our street construction projects, parks and recreation projects, the new school, and other investments in our critical infrastructure is projected to grow for a few more years," said Vigeant in a letter to city councilors. "We need to limit the amount of new debt service in our budget so we do not exceed our adopted financial policies, or place too high a financial burden on our residents."

The City's Fire Station Committee is evaluating the need for a new fire station and the best location for it. Vigeant and the committee agree that the best location is on the west side of the city, but trying to target the exact spot for a facility of this size and design.

Vigeant submitted the $10 million bond order in tandem with the library so they could be discussed togather as part of the Capital Improvement Plan for the city, which also includes a new elementary school.

"These are the second and third major capital projects in the City's Capital Improvement Plan and along with the new elementary school, these are the projects that we have been planning for and anticipating in recent years," Vigeant wrote in the letter.

Photo Credit: Charlene Arsenault