The Village Hall Options Committee Tuesday presented to the Waverly Board of Trustees a plan for if it’s decided, in the future, that village offices are to be moved to a different building.
    Committee member and Trustee Dave McIsaac informed the board and residents in attendance that the committee has found the former Friend Laboratory building on Ithaca Street the most viable alternative, stating that proposed renovations would be completed by the owner before the village were to buy the building.
    The current village hall is classified as a Class B building, meaning that it can not be bonded for more than a 15-year period. Waverly Mayor Kyle McDuffee regrettably noted that a push for special legislation to extend their bonding period on the village hall was denied in the state Senate.
    McIsaac noted that the Ithaca Street building is a Class A building, which means it can be funded over a 30-year period.
    Through McIsaac did not include a concrete price for the renovation and said that the cost would be revealed at the upcoming public presentation, he did provide a scope as to what different raises in taxes would mean to village taxpayers.
    “No matter what we choose to do as a village, it’s something that everyone in the village needs to know,” said McIsaac, “because if either project is done in the village in its entirety, using the existing numbers we have . . . we’re looking at an inevitable tax increase no matter what we do.”
    Using examples of potential tax hikes that may come about through either project and basing his numbers on 2008 tax roll data, a home with an average assessment of $39,115.80 could see the following property tax increases:
    • A 7 percent tax increase would result in a $56.71 increase overall.
    • An 8 percent tax increase would result in a $64.82 increase overall.
    • A 9 percent tax increase would result in a $72.92 increase overall.
    • A 10 percent tax increase would result in an $81.02 increase overall.
    The Ithaca Street building currently sits on a 4.9 acre lot consisting of mostly grass area except for the ample parking area, McIsaac presented. The building itself is currently 27,000 square feet with handicap accessibility, is centrally located within the village, and provides ample office area. The village will not be subjected to engineering studies or bid specification expenses, since the building will be renovated by the owner prior to the village’s purchase.
    These renovations, which would meet or exceed future “Green” building requirements for government building, include a spacious court room with private judge’s chambers, which could house a consolidated court if necessary in the future; a separate and secure police department within the building; climate- and humidity-controlled records room resistant to flooding; multiple gender separated restrooms throughout the building; backup natural gas auto switching generator; a new HVAC system; phone and network access points throughout the building; a new fire alarm system; and approximately 4,000 square feet of available rental office space with separate hookups.
    McIsaac added that transitioning to the Ithaca Street building would incur a one-time moving cost and would not require the use of temporary facilities.
    Other options that the committee looked at consisted of the former Blauvelt Funeral Home, which lacked space and was classified as a Class B building; a leasing option with the Elderwood Health Care facility, which would require a renovation without any equity resulting; building on a village-owned lot on the corner of Spaulding and Providence streets, which would result in a similar cost as the Ithaca Street purchase with less space; and the purchase of a building at 150 Broad St., which the owner didn’t express interest in doing.
    The village hall committee’s presentation, relayed by spokesman Craig Maury, stated the latest project costs, as presented by developer Murray Gould, were $2 million, with half of those costs possibly covered through grant funding and the other half through fund drives and donations.
    Maury also described the building as a Rural Economic Area Partnership benchmark, providing a priority opportunity for grant funding from state and federal government, while also noting the building’s designation to the national and state Registers of Historic Places.
    Instead of providing a plan to tackling the village hall project, if that was the route the village would pursue, Maury stated that the solution relies on the current administration as to the type of space they need to conduct their business.
    “One of the confusions of our committee,” Maury continued, “is what do you feel is the project itself, what kind of space needs do you have, what kind of use?”
    With that said, he added that the committee wasn’t going to present a plan without the board’s direction.
    “But you’re supposed to come back to us and tell us what you think you need us to do,” said McDuffee. “What does the committee recommend? That’s what you were appointed to do.”
    Maury contested that a committee goes nowhere without direction, to which McDuffee stated that they’ve had direction throughout their six years of work.
    “I’m asking you to present the best possible option,” McDuffee continued. “We’ve been asking for this for a long time . . . with you, I’m very discouraged.”
    Maury then questioned the board in regard to their outlook for village hall, to which McDuffee asked if they had a presentation.
    “This is our presentation,” said Maury. “We think you need to spend money maintaining the village buildings. You don’t do that, so the buildings fall apart over time.”
    McDuffee then expressed his disappointment in the lack of a presentation and continued questioning by the village hall committee, to which Maury responded he was disappointed with McDuffee for not taking the time to review the three different plans sitting in the village hall annex office regarding village hall.
    “I’ve looked at them,” said McDuffee. “My suggestion is, you have very good people on that committee and you have a very smart committee. Why don’t you work and give us something?”
    “These are the questions the village hall committee needs to ask,” said Trustee and Committee Chairman Todd Williams, who was then interrupted by McDuffee. “Please don’t interrupt me.”
    “I will interrupt you because this has been going on for six years,” said McDuffee. “All I wanted tonight was a presentation on what you guys were going to do. I’m done.”
    A public presentation of the village hall options committee findings, including pricing, along with a promised village hall committee plan, will be presented with a question-and-answer period July 22 at a venue yet to be announced.
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    Matt Hicks can be contacted at matthicks@morning-times.com