Purchase of former CruCon headquarters for Moultonborough Town Hall on warrant

MOULTONBOROUGH — It will be up to voters whether the town should buy a 28,000-square-foot building to house the town offices and other services.

The property, located at 81 Whittier Hwy, is the former headquarters of CruCon, and has a purchase price of $3.6 million, plus closing costs up to $148,000. Voters are asked to authorize the purchase-and-sales agreement for the property in Article 9 of the Town Warrant.

The total cost comes to $4.6 million, with $3.3 million coming from the unassigned fund balance. There would be a $500,000 downpayment from a capital reserve fund, and $900,000 of capital reserve funds used to cover renovations, based on professional analysis.

The purchase would keep the unassigned fund balance at 8% of the operating budget, which is within the state Department of Revenue Administration recommendation of 5% to 17%. It will also have no tax rate impact. The fund balance is unspent money from the previous budget.

Buying the property would be a cost savings, according to town leaders, as it is estimated that building a new Town Hall would cost upward of $20 million. The construction would need to be bonded, and town leaders say it would raise taxes.

The town was approached in July 2025, by the real estate representative of the property, and it was discussed by the selectboard. As the picture became clearer, town leaders saw the opportunity to both save money and address space needs.

“This is an affordable opportunity that was brought to the board of selectmen, and will have no tax impact by using existing funds,” Town Administrator Angela Bovill said.

Two public hearings about the proposal were held in January, where leaders went over the benefits of the purchase.

Bovill said a team met with Jason Drouin, of Jason Drouin Custom Homes, who built the structure, which formerly held the travel agency. This was an effort to review questions, site plans, and design details.

The scope of the renovations includes building interior walls and adding several heating boxes, as well as ducts for the existing air handling system.

Bovill explained that for nearly two decades, there have been a variety of proposals for a type of community center. This acquisition, she said, could satisfy most recreational needs, and also space for town offices.

She said the town has grown 24% since 2019, so there is a need for more room for programs. The town and function halls are both getting old, and need repairs.

At Town Hall, two departments have outgrown their spaces, and the move would be an opportunity to alleviate this, while also including function hall activities under one roof. The new space would accommodate all town offices, which includes the selectboard, administration, tax collector, town clerk, assessing, land use, code enforcement, and recreation offices.

It would also accommodate community events for up to 200 people, and programs like Meals on Wheels and Beyond the Bell.

“This building could encompass all of that,” Bovill said. “That was the basis for the board of selectmen seeing it as an opportunity for now, and the future.”

If the building is purchased, the recommendation is to demolish the current recreation department building for additional parking. There is also the potential to sell the current town and function hall buildings.

In the public hearings, leaders said this is a chance to combine the functions of three aging buildings into a single, state-of-the-art, energy-efficient facility. There would be a large meeting space and brand-new kitchen, which she said would be perfect for Meals on Wheels.

Another perk would be improved voting accommodations, as the lower level is suitable, and would eliminate the need to have elections at the school, which requires transporting election equipment and materials. Town Meeting would still be held at Moultonborough Academy, due to the typical turnout.

The current buildings have a total of 20,244 square feet between the town and function halls, and recreation department, all between 30 and 66 years old. At 81 Whitter Hwy, there is about 28,000 square feet, with accessible bathrooms, up-to-date plumbing and heating, and energy-efficient utilities. It is also on a public sewer, and has fiber optic lines to the building.

Parking is a plus, as well, as the former travel agency has 145 spaces.

The Department of Public Works assessed the situation, and staff recommend purchasing the property. Key findings include that the town facilities require about $1 million in maintenance over the next 10 years. The function hall needs “substantial additional investments,” and the recreation building is currently undersized and outdated. The assessment also found the existing facilities are aging and inadequate.

Concerns were voiced by residents about moving away from the village, as well as the building being in a spot prone to vehicle accidents. Traffic studies have been done that show otherwise. There were six accidents between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2025, the same amount in the area of Holland Street in the village, the location of the current Town Hall.

The purchase, according to public works staff findings, would solve multiple facility challenges in one move. It provides modern, flexible space for municipal functions, as well as recreation and events. They also recommend the purchase to avoid rising maintenance costs, as well as protecting the town’s interest, by securing the property before another buyer does.

Bovill pointed toward the Town of Meredith’s recent research into building a new Town Hall for $8.1 million, or retrofitting one for $14 million, and noted the deal Moultonborough could be getting by purchasing the Whittier Highway property for a fraction of either of those costs.

While some have voiced concerns about renovation costs, Bovill has spoken to professionals, who say the $900,000 earmarked for retrofitting will probably be “more than enough to do what we need to do.”

Bovill said the selectboard took a formal vote, 4-1, with Jon Tolman against, to recommend the purchase of 81 Whittier. It has been moved to the warrant under Article 9.

“This is the biggest issue on the warrant this year by far,” Bovill said.

Moultonborough Town Meeting takes place at 9 a.m., on Saturday, March 14, immediately followed by the school district meeting.