HADLEY — Although a spending request is already on the warrant for annual Town Meeting on May 4, a $1.25 million plan to stabilize the historic Russell School through repairs to its foundation and roof could be put off to a later time.

The Select Board last week began considering whether to add an alternative article to the warrant that would use $30,000 from free cash or from the Community Preservation Act account to pay for a feasibility study on the 1894 building in town center, delaying any more extensive work until that study is complete.

The idea for the new article comes from Town Administrator Carolyn Brennan, who said she wanted to address the worries she is hearing from officials and staff that there are no plans for what happens to the building once stabilization is complete.

“What’s going to be after the stabilization? That’s been the No. 1 question,” Brennan said.

Brennan said having the additional article would help answer that question and get buy-in from the community. “I’m trying to help this,” Breennan said. “I want this project to be successful.”

The larger sum of money, though, already has a positive recommendation from the Community Preservation Act Committee.

Members of the Select Board seemed supportive of the added article.

Select Board Chairwoman Jane Nevinsmith said she appreciates that the alternative article will give the town answers about the full costs of bringing the building back to useful condition, where the town might get matching grant money, and to better understand how property tax bills might be affected by any post-stabilization project.

A delay in doing stabilization work, possibly until a decision by fall Town Meeting, is not a problem. “Waiting another six months is not going to be the downfall of the Russell School,” Nevinsmith said.

Select Board member Molly Keegan, too, said she would much prefer spending the $30,000 than the $1.2 million, when the town doesn’t yet have a full picture of the building’s needs.

“That’s a big ask of Town Meeting,” Keegan said.

“We need to do this study, get our answers and then take it to Town Meeting and let the people decide what they want to do with the building, and be done with it once and for all,” said Select Board member Randy Izer.

Whether the Russell School Committee will weigh in on the alternative article is uncertain.

Committee Chairwoman Courtney Meyer told the Select Board that she was troubled that there had been no conversation with her committee on the new article.

“I think if we can have more clear communication with us, I feel like we’re sort of the forgotten committee, that would be really appreciated,” Meyer said.

Dan Regish, also a member of the Russell School Committee, said the $1.25 million being requested includes money for the feasibility study. Regish said the priority is stabilizing the building, understanding that the next major building project in town will be a new Department of Public Works headquarters.

The committee is expected to participate at the Town Meeting forum, scheduled for April 27 at 7 p.m. at the Hadley Senior Center.

Whether the larger appropriation will even get a vote is unclear, should the smaller amount get passed. One possibility would be asking voters to skip over what is tentatively Article 19.

Board member Joyce Chunglo suggested removing the Russell School Committee’s request entirely, though whether that is possible, with it recommended by the CPA Committee, is uncertain.

“If we’re going to go with Article 18, then Article 19 should be taken off the warrant,” Chunglo said.

Brennan said there’s no harm in having both articles on the warrant.

Izer and Keegan also noted that there could be confusion with both articles being presented, but Brennan said it is appropriate to have both considered.

“I suspect you won’t see a conflict,” Brennan said.

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