Bourne finance board balks at cost of new windows for archives

The finance committee has registered reservations about a $75,000 request to replace windows in the Keene Street historical center, arguably Bournes signature building. What seemed like an easy straightforward request to process prior to the May 7 Annual Town Meeting has become complicated.

Some finance members say the request is too expensive; others say there should be an explanation about the cost differential between window repairs and window replacements.

The windows-cost issue follows closely the finance committees questioning the Bourne Historical Commissions approach or lack of an approach to prioritizing requests for Community Preservation Act funds to repair historical structures.

Some see the finance panels concern as an annoyance; other says the finance committee is simply frustrated because it is not the entity that makes positive recommendations to Town Meeting voters on CPA funding requests.

The CPA panels response to the finance committees pursuit of priorities three weeks ago was to kill them with information in a meeting that went to 10 p.m. Last week, the finance board refused to support the archives window replacement.

So the historical commission will ask voters to indefinitely postpone the funding request. The commission will return to voters at a fall Special Town Meeting and request $125,000 for the project.

This new amount, commission chairman Donald Ellis said, is more in line with the projects actual cost; an estimate provided by a YarmouthPort architectural firm that has worked on the Keene Street building before.

The window-replacement request via the CPA comes from the Bourne Historical Society and the historical centers governing board with review along the way by the town commission; all of which are headquartered in the yellow-brick building constructed in 1896 as a library.

Ellis met recently with two architects, who provided separate specialties. One reviewed the project as it might relate to asbestos issues and lead-paint removal from window frames. Another considered the distinctive windows themselves.

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Bourne finance board balks at cost of new windows for archives