Princeton board considers town hall plans
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on March 7, 2006 1:48 PM
PRINCETON -- Two people asked that a sidewalk be added in front of the new Princeton Town Hall that will be built on West Dr. Donnie Jones Boulevard, the old U.S. 70.
Princeton Planning Board Chairman Marshall Price asked the town board to seek a grant for the sidewalk.
A Princeton resident, Brandon Holland, declared that the town "should do it the right way. ... The time to do it is now, if you have to cut back on something else."
But Mayor Don Rains pointed out that the project was "over budget now." The original cost of the new town hall was $750,000. Now with increased cost of materials, the bill has soared to more than $1 million.
Town Clerk Marla Ashworth said the cost for curbing, guttering and storm drains would be about $100,000.
"Are we too far along to change it?" Commissioner Walter A. Martin asked.
Rains said the contract could be changed but the town would have to come up with the cash.
"To my knowledge," Mrs. Ashworth said, "we've never required curb and guttering." She said curbs and gutters were "extremely unfriendly" in the watershed zoning district, which includes much of Princeton.
Rains asked Commissioners Eddie Haddock and Billy Sutton to look into the cost and report back during a special board meeting that was scheduled for March 20 in the existing Town Hall.
The board also discussed what to with the existing Town Hall and the old fire department next door.
Rains said the buildings could be sold or demolished. He added that the old fire department "has potential" but the current Town Hall has a leaking roof.
Commissioner David Starling's motion to get an estimate of the cost of demolition and an appraisal of the buildings was approved unanimously.