The $10.5 million North Dartmouth Library project is a go, after Town Meeting members on Tuesday approved the last of the money needed for construction, paving the way for the town to receive millions of dollars in grant funding.

Voters also approved spending for park upgrades, a study of Memorial Stadium, and additional improvement projects and studies. A measure that would have allowed multi-family housing along Route 6 was defeated. For that story, click here.

The current North Dartmouth Library, the smaller of the town's two libraries, is slated to be demolished as part of the state's Tucker Road relocation project, which will shift the road east through the existing library property and link it with a new, four-way intersection with Route 6 and Hathaway Road.

Town Meeting members previously approved $1.7 million in funding for the library. Tuesday, members were asked to allow the town to borrow $8.1 million and spend $700,000 in existing town funds for the project.

Showing that the town has access to the full amount needed for the construction enables officials to accept grants -- including $5.3 million from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

“We’ve got this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take advantage of this $5.3 million grant from the state,” said Conrad Ello, the architect for the project. “We’re one of nine towns throughout the Commonwealth to get the full finding right out of the gate in July out of 33 applicants. It’s a very big accomplishment for the town."

Ello explained that the existing North Dartmouth Library does not include meeting spaces, lacks handicap accessibility, has a dangerous, narrow parking lot. He also noted that Dartmouth is the third largest town in land area, and branch libraries are not uncommon in other cities and towns.

Director of Libraries Lynne Antunes quelled any concerns about funding the operation of the new library. A budget has been created, no new funding will be needed, and if the new building existed today, it could be operated within the library's current budget, she said.

Members wondered why Select Board members Frank Gracie and John Haran did not recommend Town Meeting approve the spending for the project. Gracie said he felt the project should have been presented to the larger electorate at the ballot to determine what the community feels the town should spend.

Haran said he felt the town has to prioritize its spending, especially with aging school buildings potentially needing major renovations in the near future.

Park upgrades

Town Meeting members approved a total of $691,670 in town and Community Preservation Act funding to proceed with a project at the Dartmouth Regional Parks and Trails facility on Old Fall River Road.

The project will provide electrical power at the site and add lighting for the multi-purpose field. The project is also a step toward a permanent dog park, which is being spearheaded by the Dartmouth Dog Advisory Work Group (DDAWG). The group opened a temporary park at a location on the same property.

The approval included $291,670 in Community Preservation funds, which are raised through a 1% surcharge on property taxes and can be used only for outdoor recreation, open space, historic preservation, and affordable housing. The remaining $400,000 is anticipated to come from a state grant, Town Administrator David Cressman said. The project will not move forward without the grant funding.

Improvement projects

Members also approved $4.1 million in capital projects. That included a $50,000 study of Memorial Stadium, which school officials hope will lead to an eventual overhaul of the stadium. DPW officials will spend $250,000 on a study of the Padanaram Bridge's main swing span, which may need work in the future as it was only partially renovated in the 1980s.

The DPW will also have $900,000 on roadway improvements - an annual appropriation that has been upped in recent years to stay on top of making repairs and improvements. Town government will gain $950,000 for brickwork and new windows at Town Hall to continue renovations of the building, and $35,000 to study impacts of proposals to repair the Cornell Pond Dam, which has structural issues the state requires must be addressed by September 2018.

Town departments will also get new vehicles, including the DPW, police department, and town government.

Town Meeting members approved the plan with little debate.

Sister Cities

The Sister Cities Committee, which organizes events and handles relations with cities and towns internationally Dartmouth has established recognize cultural and historical ties with, will get a more defined mission statement and new direction under the Select Board.

The original committee was established in the 1990s and previously operated under the Town Moderator, but the Select Board felt it had taken on more of a role in attending events abroad and at home and became more involved in the program, Cressman said.

Dartmouth currently has four sister cities, including the Azorean cities of Nordeste and Povoção, and Dartmouth, England. Over the past few years, Dartmouth town officials have traveled to other sister cities as part of a delegation to spread awareness about Dartmouth and learn from its sister cities.