The Hudson Board of Selectmen has officially dissolved the Town Hall Advisory Committee following the group’s final recommendation on how to move forward with the future of Town Hall.
The committee was originally formed after the Board received an update from NorthPoint Construction outlining significant challenges with renovating the existing Town Hall – including the high cost of proposed renovations and additions.
“As a result, the Board voted to establish a Town Hall Advisory Committee to assist in evaluating whether to proceed with renovations of the existing building or to pursue options for a new Town Hall facility,” Development Services Director Elvis Dhima wrote in a memo.
The committee was tasked with developing a recommendation by Nov. 1.
On a 5–2 vote, the committee recommended that the Board of Selectmen further evaluate Town-owned properties that are approximately three acres in size, served by municipal water, sewer, and gas, and located adjacent to or near one of the main corridors within two miles of the current location. The recommendation also included evaluating ADA compliance and initiating a decluttering and consolidation effort across Town Hall and other municipal buildings, with action to be taken within six months of November 2025.
“I think it does not commit to any financial expenditure, but simply gives you an idea of what the next steps could be,” Dhima told the Board during the meeting.
Selectman Heidi Jakoby, who served on the committee, said many factors were considered during the evaluation process.
“I just wanted to reiterate. So, as we were going through this process and looking at whether to build or reconstruct, there were many things discussed,” Jakoby said. “And the list of properties that are owned by the town is quite extensive.”
She added that it would be worthwhile for Dhima to assess whether any of the town’s properties meet the desired criteria.
“So, I do recommend we look at all the properties,” Jakoby said.
Board Chair Dillon Dumont, who also served on the committee, agreed with Jakoby and emphasized the importance of evaluating existing town-owned land before considering purchasing new property.
“I also am a firm believer that if we can get rid of any of those properties and get them back on the tax roll so the Town can bring some money back in, I think that would be better than having them just sit there, but there is a lot of work to do that,” Dumont said.
The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved dissolving the Town Hall Advisory Committee, effective immediately.
The next Hudson Board of Selectmen meeting is set for Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.
