Amy Clute with Needham Risk toured the town hall, highway garage, and transfer station and made 15 recommendations; five were designated as top priorities.

By deciding to draw $1.2 million from its fund balance, the district now has a gap of $260,000.

As the town board members commented on various grant requests, they agreed a better process was needed as well as more publicity about the availability of the grants.

Giebelhaus told The Enterprise that the town would hire an architect to advise on how to best use the space. The building will definitely be used for record storage, he said. And it will also be used either for the town court, which is currently housed in Town Hall, or for meetings.

Brendan Kennedy, a partner in the firm, told the board that some of the difficulties Berne had witnessed are prevalent and concluded, “Our success will look like your success.”

Marie Lounsbury, Berne

Kate Martin, Hilltowns

Anita Clayton, Berne

Kenneth Guarino, Executive Board Member, New York Coalition For Open Government