On behalf of the Falmouth Community Facilities Planning Committee, I want to thank the people who attended our second public forum on April 5. With the community’s input following our first public forum, the committee has worked hard for over a year to develop a common-sense answer to Falmouth’s facilities puzzle. We were unanimously enthusiastic to present the resulting Town Center proposal.

We believe this plan offers a historic opportunity based on a modest investment. An expanded public library, a recreation center and a Town Hall housed in one of Falmouth’s most beloved buildings provides a sense of place for which Falmouth has long yearned. The central green space would be a fabulous venue for concerts, art shows, farmers markets and community gatherings. In addition, shared meeting space, grounds, technology and parking add valuable efficiencies. With the sale of certain town properties, the renovation of the elementary school site (to be vacated in fall 2011), and the lowest interest rates in recent history, this proposal would add only about $100 in property tax (decreasing over time) to a house assessed at $400,000.

The Facilities Committee will refine its recommendations based on feedback from the forum and an on-line survey. We will present the final proposal to the Town Council on May 10. The council will decide by August whether to put the issue to referendum in November. If that happens, voters will have their say at the polls.

Cathy Breen, chairwoman
Falmouth Community Facilities Planning Committee


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