之前  我写这封信是想指出我是……的一员 the TCC working group and a member of the Thompson Memorial Association. I am writing as a citizen of 联盟 and not as a member of either group. I don’t want the voters to be deceived and I want them to know the truth as I know it.

If you as a citizen of 联盟 are thinking of voting no on article 2-5 and voting yes on Article 6 because you have heard that we can have a brand new Community Center on the old BM Clark property for $257,千万不要上当. 让我指出一些事情.

1. 现有的托马斯顿社区中心(砖砌体育馆)  and classrooms) that will be renovated and serve as a community Center is 12,500 square feet.

2. The building that a gentleman in town is proposing can be built for $257,相当于一座大房子的大小,400平方英尺. That is just over 5 times smaller than the existing community center.

257美元的,000 price tag does not include the following items: A foundation, 一个好, 喷水灭火系统, 火灾报警系统, 化粪池系统, 网站工作, 电入口, 停车或室外照明. 这些将花费纳税人的钱. 所有这些工作都不是免费的，也不包括在25.7万美元的奖金中.

说到底，它仍然只是一座2,400平方英尺的建筑. 要两个才有健身房那么大. So, no basket ball no pickle ball no stage, no flea markets or craft fairs. 没有音乐会或舞蹈表演. Even more space will be lost when you consider two handicapped bathrooms an office, 小吃店和入口.

3. The existing community Center will need to be renovated the cost is projected to be $3.800万年 . There will be some taxpayer dollars needed but that does not mean that the taxpayers will pay $3.800万年. If articles 2-5 are voted for in the affirmative then the plan is to find a developer to turn the Yellow building (old 联盟 School) into senior housing. 工会需要高级住房. 这里的地理位置非常适合老年人居住.

一旦文章2-5通过并找到开发人员, the grant writing process will begin immediately to generate revenue to renovate the existing Community Center. 工作开始了. There is approximately $250,000 set aside that can be used as seed money for these grants.

Once the senior housing project is complete and the renovated building now worth approximately $9 million will go on the tax roles. 这将在3-5年内实现. The taxes on that property will be approximately $139,000 per year.  The TIF program that will be voted through in articles 2-5 will allow approximately half of those taxes or approximately $70,每年将有5000美元用于维护社区中心. 这个TIF项目的有效期为30到40年.

还记得, when the existing Community Center is done we the citizens of 联盟 will have a 12,500平方英尺的建筑.   这是5.2 times larger than the 2,400 square foot one that you have been hearing about. 还记得 the price that you are being told does not include all of those other hidden costs.    不要被愚弄.

4. 如果2-5不通过，6通过, the Selectmen now have the ability to dispose of the buildings as they see fit.

Three selectmen voting together can decide the fate of the buildings. 拆除它们不是免费的. 最新的估计大约是50万美元纳税人的钱. If they sell it, they can sell it for what ever they want to whom ever they want. 时间只会告诉体育彩票正规app下载里面会有什么. 这是一个伟大的位置.

For those of you who don’t know, the Brick building was built in 1951. 奥古斯都·汤普森, 软饮料Moxie的发明者, 建造这座建筑是为了纪念汤普森家族.

先生的后代. 汤普森今天仍然住在尤宁.

当它建成时，它是为联合镇的一所学校. It was to remain a school until such time that it was no longer needed by the Town as a school. It was then supposed to be kept as a Community Center for the Town.

When the new gym opened in 1951 it was the crown jewel of the area. Basketball players couldn’t wait to come play ball in the new gym.

The building has served the community well over the years as a school and as a Community Center. Very little has been given back to it over the years but it is still here I guess it has a lot of Moxie.

请在投票时考虑所有这些因素.

亚伯拉罕·奈特住在联合市