Marblehead Selectman raise rent at Old Town House

MARBLEHEAD – Selectmen have made it official: the future rental fee for the Old Town House at 1 Market Square will be $250, the same as the fee to rent Abbot Hall.The former $25 per day rental fee raised some eyebrows on the board when selectmen approved a wedding for the two-story 1727 building for a fee of $25 a day last month.Board members unanimously approved the fee upgrade on a motion by Selectman Judy Jacobi Wednesday evening, with the stipulation that the change will only apply to future requests.The Old Town House is smaller than Abbot Hall and needs an elevator to be handicapped accessible but, from now on, both buildings will now cost the same. Both rentals require additional costs, the hiring of a custodian and liability insurance.Town Meeting will offer voters the chance to decide whether an elevator should be installed at the Old Town House to make the building fully handicapped-accessible.Meanwhile Building Commissioner Robert Ives has designed a $3,800 indoor ramp that will temporarily make the building accessible enough for Precinct 1 voting purposes.