STM voters back proposal to purchase St. Gerard’s

Note: A full recap of the December 1 Special Town Meeting will appear in the next edition of the Canton Citizen.

The decision on whether to authorize the town acquisition of the former St. Gerard’s Church property will now move to a town-wide vote following its approval at a Special Town Meeting held earlier this week at Canton High School.

St. Gerard Majella

The initial vote, cast Wednesday night, authorized the Select Board to finance the purchase through a debt-exclusion override, with at least two-thirds of the nearly 200 people in attendance voting in the affirmative. Final approval will be determined by a special election set for December 14 (early voting gets underway Dec. 4). If the majority vote prevails in the special election, then the Select Board will make a formal bid to the Boston Archdiocese to purchase the property.

The Finance Committee made the motion to issue debt capital in the amount of $3.305 million. Select Board Chair Mike Loughran and Vice Chair Lisa Lopez said town attorneys, negotiating with the broker for the Archdiocese, believe the bid of $3.305 million is sufficient for the town to be awarded the bid. Loughran said the Archdiocese as of December 1 was inclined to do business with the town, although Lopez said while it looks good it is not a “done deal.”

Though there are no definitive plans for how the church property will be used, the Select Board said the purchase represents an opportunity for the community to “invest in itself” by acquiring a uniquely attractive property in terms of location, size, building and site amenities, and topographical characteristics. Some potential uses offered at previous public meetings include an expanded human services center for elderly residents and veterans, school buildings and/or offices, and open space and recreational use.

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