Southborough — The Community Preservation Committee heard an update Dec. 11 on the Rural Cemetery Water Tower restoration project after the Select Board approved $5,000 to fund preliminary engineering.

Lisa told the CPC that the Select Board’s approval of $5,000 will allow the town to obtain a final cost estimate for the work; the town expects engineers to need roughly 30 days to produce that figure. Committee members discussed the possibility of a two‑week extension to the CPC timeline in order to include a final number on the warrant article if the project advances.

Members also discussed that historical‑specialist oversight may need to be built into the project budget and contract so that restoration complies with preservation standards. Lisa said the historical consultant’s role could be added as a line item and that she would follow up with project stakeholders before the Dec. 18 meeting.

No formal CPC vote on the project’s funding occurred on Dec. 11; the committee plans to revisit the project when the engineering estimate and any recommended conditions are available.