Voters back acquisition of St. Gerard’s property

With the backing of 675 of the town’s more than 16,000 registered voters, the Canton Select Board has been given the go-ahead to acquire the former St. Gerard Majella Church property on Washington Street. The final hurdle was cleared on Tuesday and a formal bid to the Boston Archdiocese is expected to be forthcoming.

In the end, roughly 6 percent of the total electorate weighed in on the matter — either during the early voting period or at the polls on Election Day — and the “yes” votes prevailed by a nearly 2-to-1 margin (63 percent to 37 percent). The decision comes on the heels of a similar outcome at the December 1 Special Town Meeting, and together the two affirmative votes authorize the town to issue debt capital totaling $3.305 million, which would be bonded over a term of 20 years.

The cost would be borne by the taxpayers, with the average homeowner, based on current estimates, paying an additional $17 per year for the duration of the bond.

Reached on Wednesday morning, Select Board Chair Mike Loughran, who has led the effort to acquire the property, said he was pleased with the outcome of the special election, noting it is rare for a town to have a chance to acquire a parcel of that size with so many potential uses.

“When these opportunities come up, I think it’s good, if we’re able to, to try to pursue it,” Loughran said. “And like I said at the special town meeting, I think this is a very, very low-risk, high-reward project.”

Opponents of the proposed acquisition have voiced concerns about possible environmental contamination on the site, while others have questioned the wisdom of taking on more debt with a major middle school renovation project potentially on the horizon.

Loughran, however, believes the investment will be worth it if the town is in fact able to acquire the property. Regarding the environmental concerns, he noted that the town plans to conduct an environmental study and would not hesitate to walk away if there were any major concerns raised.

He also made it clear that the town is in no way planning to “flip” the property and officials strongly believe that there are a number of potential uses that would be beneficial for the town. (Ideas that have been suggested to date include an expanded human services center for elderly residents and veterans, a food pantry, school buildings and/or offices, and open space and recreational uses.)

Tuesday’s special election followed six days of early voting, and all told there were 1,074 ballots cast. The “yes” votes prevailed in all six voting precincts, with the closest margin occurring in Precinct 1 (72-62). The most solidly in favor was Precinct 3 with 67 percent voting yes (67-33), followed by Precinct 4 (188-97), Precinct 5 (133-77) and Precinct 6 (92-60). One ballot cast in Precinct 4 was left blank.

For more information about the proposed acquisition of St. Gerard’s, visit the updated FAQ page on the town website.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=78940

Posted by Jay Turner on Dec 16 2021. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.