Marblehead board rekindles elevator plan for town house

MARBLEHEAD – Selectmen voted Wednesday evening to reactivate the town’s 10-year-old plan to install an elevator at the Old Town House and make it handicapped accessible.The 1727 building is one of the oldest Town Halls in America. Precinct 1 voters have cast their ballots there despite the town’s rejection of the plan to install an elevator there in 2000 – but the state Elections Office told Town Clerk Robin Michaud last Monday the street level of the two-story structure does not comply with state accessibility regulations.That notice sent Michaud scrambling to find a place for Precinct 1 to vote and she will be sending them to the Marblehead Community Center for the June 15 special election, which will decide the fate of 10 debt exclusion overrides.The Old Town House has two levels. The upper level is a large meeting room, which can only be accessed by a stairway. The street level contains the Marblehead Police Museum and a voting room, which can be accessed from the street – but space in the voting room has been cramped since the town installed a new handicapped voter terminal there in 2007.Asked for her opinion on the town seeking a waiver of handicapped accessibility requirements from the state, Town Counsel Lisa Mead called the possibility of getting a waiver “unlikely.””Personally, my only concern about this is the scheduling,” said Selectman William Woodfin, who convinced his colleagues to seek the town counsel’s advice last week.”I’m disenchanted by the scheduling.”At his urging selectmen supported his motion to reactivate the elevator plan for what he called “the cradle of our government,” and seek grant money to help cover the cost. Town Administrator Tony Sasso said the town planned to spend $149,000 to install a small elevator in the building in 2000, with grant assistance available, but the town voted against a debt exclusion override to raise the money. Those plans are still on file.