Lyme BOS has Already Approved its $220K Share of Additional Funding
OLD LYME — 3/16: Lymes’ Senior Center (LSC) Building Committee Chair Jeri Baker was at pains to stress in a phone conversation with LymeLine last Thursday (March 7) that the committee had agreed some, “Really good savings,” during its deliberations at its Special Committee Meeting held the previous day without reducing space in the renovated Center or compromising its integrity.
She explained that the initial $1.337 million overrun had been reduced through approximately $602,000 in construction savings.
Meanwhile, contingency funds for the project have been increased by nearly $65,000 to cover any unforeseen circumstances.Those two moves reduced the $1.337 million overage to $800,000.
She added, “We are also requesting an appropriation of $80,000 to cover the kitchen upgrades the towns requested in February 2024.”
This means the LSC Building Committee will be requesting a total of $880,000 to continue the renovation project with the amount to be divided between the two towns. Using the 75:25 ratio between Old Lyme (OL) and Lyme, which has been employed consistently throughout the life of the Center, the amounts to be requested from each Town respectively are $660,000 (75%) from Old Lyme and $220,000 (25%) from Lyme.
Significantly, the current bids, which were opened Feb. 6 in the OL Town Hall, expire May 6. The LSC Building Committee is therefore anxious to advance their requests for additional funding in a timely manner so that the bids remain current.
In order to achieve that, OL First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker explained in a text to LymeLine, “The [OL] BOS will hear from the [Lymes’ Senior Center] Renovation Committee on 3/18.”
Baker told LymeLine that she would be presenting the LSC Building Committee’s request to the OL BOS at this evening’s meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. in the OL Town Hall.
Shoemaker noted, “I would hope the [OL] BOF (Board of Finance) would add it to their agenda for the 19th.”
Assuming those two meetings go as expected a Public Information Session would be held in OL on March 25, and then a Town Meeting on April 15 at which OL residents will be able to vote on the additional funding request. The locations and start times for both these meetings are yet to be determined.
Lyme Selectman John Kiker told LymeLine via text that the situation is slightly different in Lyme, where the Town’s BOS and BOF, “… have already approved the additional fundraising needed for the Senior Center.”
Kiker continued, “Our informational meeting is Wednesday, March 27, time TBD. The Town Vote is Thursday, April 18th, start time [also] TBD.”
The LSC Building Committee has prepared a comprehensive FAQ so that residents in both towns can appreciate fully all the factors involved in planning the project and its future timing. Note the document is identical for both towns.
View the document at this link for the Town of Lyme.
View the document at this link for the Town of Old Lyme.
Really sad that Old Lyme Senior Center is having a hard time finding funds for rehab of the building and it desperately needs updating.
I walk the perimeter of the field with my dog and walk around the building and think, wow this is how we respect our seniors? The building needs much repair and as the inside.
Other towns have wonderful facilities for their seniors and I am ashamed. I know our money is always going to the school system, but think about it,? We are all going to be seniors and we would enjoy something that is worthy to those, whose tax dollars supported that Town of Old Lyme/Lyme. I hope that the funding does come through.