IPSWICH — Select Board Chair Michael Dougherty once again cast the lone vote against $9.8 million in additional funding for the proposed public safety facility on Monday night, as the embattled project heads toward a pivotal Special Town Meeting vote. 

While acknowledging there are “some misconceptions” about the project and encouraging residents to research the conditions of the current facilities, Dougherty said his primary concern remains the project’s 33% increase in cost. 

“My concern is the financial palatability of the taxpayers being able to afford all of the different projects we have coming down the pike,” he said, pointing specifically to the new water treatment plant and elementary school building project.  

“If we do it all in a very short period of time, the increase in our taxes will make it unaffordable for a lot of people in town,” he said, adding that the public safety facility is the only major project that can be pushed further down the road without jeopardizing grant funding. 

Article 3 

Though he voted in line with his fellow board members on Article 2, a request to transfer $572,668 from capital stabilization for the project, Dougherty again flew solo by supporting Article 3. 

A citizen petition, Article 3 seeks to prohibit the Town from using previously appropriated funds for the project if the facility remains at the corner of Linebrook and Pineswamp roads. 

“If Article 1 does fail, then I think it makes sense to have an article that rescinds all previous borrowing as a clean-up,” Dougherty said. “If Article 1 does pass, then the town has spoken and I would be opposed to it.” 

He also explained that he supported Article 2 to ensure all necessary funding would be available for the project if the $9.8 million request in Article 1 passes. 

Special Town Meeting 

Sept. 8 will mark the second time in four months that voters will be asked to approve additional funding for the project.

Although a majority supported the request in May, it fell eight votes short of the required two-thirds majority at Annual Town Meeting. 

In June, the board approved another round of voting. Dougherty abstained from that vote, citing his consistent opposition to the additional funding request. 

If all additional funding is approved at Special Town Meeting, the total cost of the project will increase to approximately $39.5 million. 

‘Last attempt’ 

On Monday, Dougherty’s fellow board members reaffirmed their support of the project.  

“This continues to be the highest-priority project for the Town,” Selectperson Sarah Player said. “[We have been shown] the conditions of our two current [police and fire] buildings. We are really failing to protect the safety of our public safety folks.”  

Though he said he can understand the community’s concerns about the location and design of the proposed facility, Selectperson Carl Nylen said “it is the project we have in front of us to address the need.” 

“We’ve come pretty far along with this, and I think we need to see it through,” he added. “This will be our last attempt. We have no other questions to put before the voters on this particular project. It would be nice to settle this once and for all.”  

Selectperson Linda Alexson encouraged voters to watch the police and fire chiefs’ Aug. 3 presentation on the conditions of their current stations and to vote “yes” on the additional funding requests at Special Town Meeting. 

“We’re very close to the finish line,” she said. “For the protection of our community, and the protection of our first responders, and the protection of our very expensive specialized equipment — I think the time is now.”  

Selectperson Charles Surpitski urged board members to vote unanimously in support of additional funding, saying their “greatest responsibility is the safety of the public.”  

“We’d be very remiss in our duties if we don’t advance the project, if we don’t encourage it unanimously, to get it done and get it done now,” he said. “We have dealt with this issue since 1954, and we have made very little progress.”  

Voting 

Special Town Meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at the middle/high school.  

The $9.8 million additional funding request, Article 1, will require a two-thirds majority vote. The request will also require simple majority approval at a subsequent ballot vote on Tuesday, Sept. 22.  

Articles 2 and 3 require simple majority votes.