DALTON, Mass. — The season has arrived for the bats to be evicted from Town Hall so the building renovations can continue. 

 

"There are only a couple of windows of time to get the bats evicted. And that's in the month of May and in late summer, early fall," said Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson. "We believe we're going to be able to take care of all of them during the month of May, but we've had to put off the asbestos removal until after we get rid of the bats because it's the same space, we can't be disturbing the bats, let alone exposing them to asbestos-laden plaster."

 

A special town meeting last June approved a $500,000 renovation that would improve the 1893 building's structure, electricity, and asbestos abatement, as well as other aspects of the building. 

 

But the project was delayed late last summer when it was discovered that bats were living in the building. That postponed any further work in the upper floors because of the state's effort to protect the bats as an endangered species after white-nose syndrome wiped out 6 million in New England in 2006.   

 

By the time the bats were discovered, there was not enough time to put a bid out for a wildlife removal specialist to come in and safely "evict" them in accordance with the state's required periods. 

 

On a positive note, Town Hall has fewer than 10 bats — if the number was 10 or more, they would be considered a colony that would require the state Department of Environmental Protection to get involved and a much lengthier process. 

 

Meerkat Pest Control has sealed the cracks and crevices that allowed the bats to gain entry to the building and set up one way doors so when they do eventually leave to get food, they will be unable to regain entrance. The estimate to shoo the bats away is $30,000.

 

Once the bats have left the premises, the asbestos phase of the renovation can commence and is projected to start after the bidding process in May with the hope to have the abatement completed over the summer. Officials are unsure of the cost of the abatement but are aware that it is going to be more than $50,000. 

 

A bid for the renovation will go out in May so the details as to what they will entail will not be available for another month. 

 

At this time the tax collector and assessors' offices have been moved to the vacant bank building that the town is leasing for the time being. Hutcheson is looking into leasing some other office space but is still in the negotiation phase. All offices will be moved by some time in late June. 

 

It is hopeful that the renovation will be complete by the end of the calendar year or next spring depending on what arrives during the process. 

 

"I'm happy that we're starting to move forward on this. I look forward to the renovation of the Town Hall into a healthier, more useful building," Hutcheson said.