Board weighs $480,000 bid for recreation-center addition; no warrant motion tonight

Facilities manager Chris Andrew and Parks and Recreation Director Darcy Little told the Select Board that Cob Hill Construction submitted the lowest bid for a planned Bow Recreation Center addition at just under $480,000, with about $100,000 of that for site work and concrete. They asked the board to place a warrant article before the March town meeting to fund the addition from the recreation revolving fund.

Board members debated whether the project is a 'need' or a 'want,' whether off-site storage, Connex boxes or repurposing existing community‑center space could be cheaper alternatives, and whether using revolving‑fund cash would affect other capital priorities. Staff said funding the addition from the revolving fund as a withdrawal would not increase taxes and that the recreation revolving fund is composed of user fees and program revenue.

A public commenter who identified himself as Mike Mayo urged the board to do more needs analysis and to consider less‑expensive options; other speakers said they had reviewed alternative approaches and that some program-space constraints and ADA improvements argue for an on‑site solution. Board members expressed differing views: some said they would not support moving the question to voters yet and asked for additional cost-savings analysis; others said the board could vote to place a warrant article without personally endorsing it.

The board agreed to hold further discussion, gather additional information and allow absent board members to weigh in before deciding whether to forward a warrant article to town meeting.