The entire restoration project will upgrade heating, cooling, electrical, parking and fire suppression at the 110-year-old Town Hall, as well as add more office space and bring the building in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

About $200,000 has been raised by the town through Town Meeting. A warrant article is expected in March that will ask the voters to appropriate some of the remaining cost. Currently, the amount of the article is set at $131,000, but a final amount is contingent on the bids the town receives for construction.

Town Manager John Scruton said potential bidders have been in and out of the building all week because bids are due by Monday at 3 p.m. Scruton said the bidders have told him not to be surprised if the bids are higher than they expected.

"Some of (the bidders) say, given the nature of the old building, it will likely be more difficult than we originally thought," said Scruton.

The schedule and cost of the project rely heavily on bid results. The Town Hall Restoration Committee will meet Monday to discuss the bids at 6 p.m. and then meet with selectmen at 7 p.m.

One of the topics of discussion will be whether to do the project all at once or in two phases. If done all at once, the town would avoid funding the deconstruction of parts of the building twice, but it would cost more money up front and delay the project.

Scruton estimated the town would save between $30,000 and $40,000 in construction costs by doing it at once. However, the start of the project would be delayed at least one year and the increasing cost of construction materials may offset any savings. A delay would also keep the building out of ADA compliance longer.

Theoretically, selectmen could authorize the start of the construction immediately, according to Scruton, but a final schedule will be more clear after bids come in.

The first phase includes the installation of an elevator that will be accessible to each floor of the building. It also includes hooking up the sprinkler system needed on the second floor, where the Great Hall is located.

The Board of Selectmen accepted a $12,000 Community Development Grant on Monday that will go toward engineering and architectural work on the elevator.

Making the building ADA compliant was identified by the restoration committee as the top priority in the project. Meetings can be held on the second floor once an elevator and a sprinkler system are installed. The current meeting room will be used as office space.

The second phase includes upgrading the heating and cooling systems on the second floor and the balcony level.

The Board of Selectmen’s Meeting on Monday will be at 7 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m. so the restoration committee can meet.