Town council members were expected Tuesday to discuss and possibly vote on removing two controversial questions on the future of the Odd Fellows Hall and Fire Barn from Little Compton's upcoming Town Meeting warrant.

Citing budgetary concerns and the unpopularity of a plan to convert part of the Odd Fellows Hall to senior affordable housing, council members were scheduled to discuss, and possibly vote on, the removal of articles four and five from the Tuesday, June 17 town meeting warrant. Though Tuesday's council meeting came too late to report on in this week's edition, several councilors said Monday that the time has come to look in a different direction.

“There’s nothing better in my mind than those things being withdrawn,” councilor Gary Mataronas said.

Article four would authorize the town to work with Church Community Housing (CCH) to develop five senior affordable housing units in the two buildings, along with senior and community spaces. The plan has not been popular, and the Odd Fellows' legal counsel recently threatened to sue the town if officials go forward and seek to modify the terms of its 1985 agreement with the town that gave the fraternal organization the exclusive right to use the town-owned building's second floor.

Article five proposes an alternative to the housing plan, and would authorize the town to bond up to  $1.5 million to repair the buildings, which have fire code and other issues.

Council president Patrick McHugh said Monday that due to recommended cuts proposed by the budget committee, it no longer makes financial sense for the articles to be on the warrant — each would require the expenditure of public funds, he said.

“When you have two articles, one's going out for a bond, and the budget committee is recommending cutting the budget, it doesn’t make much sense,” McHugh said.

Before the meeting, Dr. Ara Sadaniantz, who led the Commons Review Committee and opposed the housing plan, said he was excited for the discussion and would be in attendance.

Assuming council members decided to withdraw articles four and five, Mataronas said Little Compton should take an approach similar to that proposed by the now-dissolved review committee.

In their final report released in late April, committee members did not vote to recommend moving ahead with the senior affordable housing plan. Instead, they recommended exploring the development of a 'community campus' that will benefit the entire community.

To get there, members recommended appointing a new committee to explore the issue. They suggested that the town should develop a plan that includes seniors, youth, and arts and cultural centers, as well as space for the Odd Fellows, Grange, PTO, LC Makers, Stay at home and others.

They also recommended that the town complete a formal needs assessment and architectural feasibility study, raise funds and solicit grants, and consider a bond or other town financing to complete the project, among other suggestions.