OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford The Pomfret Town Board listens to Town Supervisor Dan Pacos, right, during its April meeting.

The cost of Pomfret’s project to move its town hall is soaring.

Town Supervisor Dan Pacos told the town board at its April meeting that the estimated cost now stands at $3.46 million. That’s more than double the last reported estimate, and more than eight times the original $400,000 estimate that Pacos said was made “years ago.”

Pacos blamed higher prices for labor and materials, and the federal government’s slate of tariffs. He also targeted the state’s Office of Court Administration.

The Pomfret supervisor complained the state office had a long, challenging list of requirements for a new town courtroom. “They were really ridiculous in what they were asking for,” he said. “They’re just used to dealing with large municipalities.”

Pomfret purchased a former church on Chestnut Road last year to convert it into a new town hall. It’s still not clear what the town will do with its current hall on Day Street in downtown Fredonia.

Pacos pushed for the purchase with a plan to share the new hall with the town of Dunkirk. However, Dunkirk declined.

There is funding in place from state grants — but now it looks like Pomfret will need more money to complete the project. Pacos appeared unfazed by that.

He stated the town is applying for more grants. However, Pomfret won’t know until January if they get them.

If Pomfret doesn’t get grants, “we’ll borrow. Because, we bought the building,” Pacos said.

Town Board member EvaDawn Bashaw, who was not on the board when Pomfret bought the Chestnut Road site, sounded nervous about the whole thing. She wondered if the town should consider cutting items from the project to save money.

Pacos replied that if the town board decides it wants to cut project costs, “We’ll look at the plans and carve out anything we can do without.”