The Capital Budget Committee unanimously approved a series of funding requests at its September 29 meeting, highlighted by a $5.86 million appropriation for a comprehensive roof restoration at the Joseph Osgood School. The project, part of the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (MSBA) Accelerated Repair Program, will be fully paid for by the School Stabilization Fund, a move that will utilize the fund's entire balance through fiscal year 2027. While acknowledging the project's necessity, committee members expressed significant concern over the cost, which has ballooned from an initial town estimate of $1.5 million to a town share of nearly $4 million. “The amount to replace this roof of over 5 million is shocking to me,” said member Cathy Forest. “What's driving these costs to be so high?” James, the project’s Owner’s Project Manager (OPM), explained that contingencies are included to maximize the state grant and that bids historically come in below estimates, but the price reflects current market conditions and state requirements. The committee also heard an update on the Public Safety Building project, which continues to face questions from the community about its size and overall cost, now estimated at nearly $29 million. Interim Town Manager Michelle Leary announced that a peer review has been commissioned to address these concerns. “The select board asked if we could have a peer review conducted of the spaces,” Leary said, explaining it would assess if the building is oversized and identify potential savings. Member Ralph Dormitzer stressed the importance of ensuring the review uses appropriate comparisons. “If a peer group is going to do this thing, they better pick towns which are really comparable,” Dormitzer noted, suggesting metrics like town acreage and population density. Member Susan Franklin questioned the fees for project consultants, demonstrating the committee’s detailed scrutiny of the budget. Earlier in the meeting, DPW Director Brian Joyce secured funding for two articles. The first was a $72,000 match for a state grant to complete a town-wide sewer system asset management plan. "With both of these phases, we'll have the entirety of the sewer system kind of documented and be able to plan where we should go from there," Joyce explained. Member Robert Kasameyer supported the initiative, stating it will "enable the town to come up with a long-term plan for maintaining or improving the system." The committee also approved $42,332 for emergency repairs to failing trench drains in the DPW garage. Finally, the committee authorized a funding transfer for the school bus fleet. Following the termination of the problematic electric bus lease, funds will be repurposed for a new diesel bus lease. The move provides the district with a much-needed spare bus for operational flexibility and athletic runs, and will result in a net return of over $34,000 to the town. **The committee made a motion to fund $72,000 from the sewer retained earnings for the phase 2 asset management plan grant match. The motion passed 5-0.** **The committee made a motion to vote to approve the DPW trench drains for $42,332 out of the capital stabilization fund. The motion passed 5-0.** **The committee made a motion to see if the Capital Budget Committee will vote to appropriate, borrow, or transfer from available funds the sum of $5,858,522 to be expended for the MSBA roof replacement project for the Joseph Osgood School. The cost of this project will be paid from the voter approved stabilization fund over the fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The motion passed 5-0.** **The committee made a motion, contingent upon the termination of the existing electric bus lease, for the line item transfer from the electric bus lease appropriation at annual town meeting 2025 to a new diesel bus lease appropriation for the amount of $22,682. The motion passed 5-0.**