The transfer augments last year’s town meeting appropriation along with previous contributions from the Council on Aging to approach the project’s total cost of $1,759,925.

The town can now put the project out for bid once the money is available at the start of the fiscal year, which begins July 1.

Bob McCarthy, chairman of the Building Renovations Committee, which is supervising the construction project, gave voters a rough timetable for the renovations. He said that once the bids are awarded, construction could begin by October of this year, with an estimated completion date of April 2014.

Reacting to a comment that the project may still need additional appropriations, McCarthy said that to his knowledge, the BRC, which has supervised many town construction project, has “delivered on budget and on time every time.”

Resident Bruce Rohr asked McCarthy whether the BRC had tested the building for asbestos, structural damage, water damage, and contamination of the grounds surrounding the building. McCarthy responded that the only evidence of asbestos was found in the floor tiles, which he said will be removed in the next few weeks. He said further tests were done on the structural integrity of the building and on the surrounding property and they all came out in the town’s favor. A previous water break had caused the building to be stripped to the “bare bones” and no further damage was found, according to McCarthy.

Kevin Feeney, leader of the town’s ADA Committee (Americans with Disabilities Act), said there are 5,000 seniors in the town and the project makes sense. “This is long overdue,” he said. “I think it says something that a consensus of the board in this town supports it. It is not the perfect plan, but a good plan.”

Finance Committee Chairman Mark Porter said the town can afford the project this year due to its healthy reserve levels; however, additional spending beyond this year is questionable, he said. In their report to voters, FinCom members had expressed concerns with a “moving target budget” and noted that the project’s costs had risen from under $1 million to its current estimate of nearly $1.76 million. The FinCom unanimously supported the $1.36 million transfer but stressed that “anything higher will not be viewed as fiscally prudent for the town and its taxpayers.”

The FinCom concluded that the renovation of the K of C building would be a “significant step forward for the seniors of Canton” while noting that the building could be “added to in the future and will be designed to provide an eye to that future.”

Selectman John Connolly, who led the effort at last year’s town meeting to purchase the Pleasant Street property, said it was “about time” that Canton’s seniors finally had a proper meeting space. He added that they have patiently watched as renovations were completed at other town buildings, including the police and fire stations, DPW garage, and Canton High School.

“This not a luxury,” he said. “It is a necessity.”

According to plans released Monday night, the senior center renovations will include the purchase of new fixtures, furniture and equipment, a commercial stove, three heating ovens, a fireplace, dishwasher, a refrigerator, a 20-by-16-foot canopy, and fully equipped cable, phone and data services. There is also a contingency fund of more than $29,000 to cover cost overruns.

Although the facility, at 6,108 square feet, is not as large as some had hoped, town officials and COA members are happy with the location and the large number of parking spaces. The building will be upgraded to meet all acceptable building codes for energy conservation, accessibility and safety.

“No doubt it is an old building and there is a lot of work to be done,” said McCarthy, “but it is the appropriate time, building and place. It will be a step forward for the seniors.”

Selectmen had asked Town Moderator Alan Hines to delay calling the SHOD articles until after the budget article was enacted. Selectmen were still in negotiations with Dick Staiti, the attorney for Brightview Senior Living, on a possible agreement. Staiti, who attended a BOS executive session meeting prior to the start of Monday’s opening session, indicated that an agreement was close but that selectmen needed more time to deliberate and to consult with town counsel.

In other action Monday night:

* Voters approved an amendment by the Finance Committee to implement a two-year moratorium on the siting of medical marijuana treatment facilities. The Board of Selectmen had originally called for a three-year ban, while the Planning Board had suggested a one-year ban.

* The zoning articles related to the Plymouth Rubber property on Revere Street were postponed and will likely be reconsidered at a special town meeting in the fall.

* Voters extended the Community Preservation Act surcharge exemption (the first $100,000 of property value) to commercial property owners, pending ballot approval at the next town election. Voters also appropriated $20,000 from future CPA receipts for administrative and operating expenses. CPC Chairman Lisa Lopez said there will be no paid staff and the money will be used for environmental studies, legal fees, and public notice advertisements.

* Kevin Feeney, who has headed the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in Canton since 1999, said there is $5,701 remaining from the original appropriation of $4.23 million, with future work planned at Pequitside Farm and the new senior center.

* Voters designated the former Commercial Sheet Metal property at 465 Turnpike Street as a “priority development site” under Chapter 43D (expedited permitting). The property is now vacant, but Economic Development Committee Chairman Gene Manning said there is interest from developers, while noting that the EDC has had a very good success rate with other priority development sites around town.

* Voters rezoned small parcels of land on Royal Lane adjoining Boston Mutual from single residence AA to limited industrial.

* Starting next year, the deadline for submitting both zoning and non-zoning articles will be 120 days before the start of the May town meeting.

* At the urging of FinCom, voters authorized the transfer of $400,000 from free cash to the town’s stabilization fund for unforeseen emergencies. The move is designed to bolster the town’s current AAA bond rating, leading to lower borrowing rates.

* Voters authorized the transfer of $35,000 from free cash to the Recreation Department budget for the July 4 community celebration.

* Voters unanimously agreed to postpone a zoning amendment, put forth by attorney Paul Schneiders on behalf of a Turnpike Street property owner, that would have allowed light manufacturing uses in a business district by way of a special permit from the zoning board. Many people felt the proposal constituted “spot zoning,” while others noted that the change would have applied to all of the business districts in Canton.

* Voters authorized the formation of a Blue Hills Regional Technical School Stabilization Fund to be used for future capital projects.

* Voters authorized the borrowing of an additional $1.6 million for replacement windows at the Hansen and Galvin schools after previously appropriating $754,000 for the two projects at last year’s town meeting. The additional costs are for the removal of PCBs and asbestos, which were discovered in the caulking around the windows at both schools.

The School Department is slated to receive a 45 percent reimbursement from the Mass. School Building Authority following successful completion of the project in the summer of 2014.

Folan informed the School Committee on May 9 that NEASC has delivered its 79-page document and in the next 10 days will send a list of recommendations the panel would like to see accomplished in the next year or two. Overall the report has 51 commendations and 51 recommendations.

A group of NEASC evaluators spent four days in October meeting with administrators, teachers, students and parents while examining every aspect of CHS, from its curriculum to its leadership and school culture.

Folan said students and staff did an “excellent job in presenting CHS to the NEASC committee and the NEASC panel said several times in the report there is intense pride in the high school from students, teachers, and the community itself.”

“They noticed a true commitment to the students shown by the teachers, the staff, and the community,” Folan said. “They feel there is great opportunity here for students, such as student exchange trips [and] the math team.”

“I think what you will see in the recommendations is the ability to go from a good situation to one in which we do great things,” added Folan. “We are doing a good job, but we need to do better.”

Among the recommendations are developing more models for consistency — especially in curriculum, course offerings and grading — and giving each student “rigorous challenges.”

The committee will post the report on the School Department website in the coming weeks and will invite Folan back to discuss the recommendations and plans for implementation.

Although not part of the NEASC report, School Superintendent Jeff Granatino noted that the 2012 CHS graduation rate of 96.8 percent was ranked by WCVB Channel 5 as the 19^th highest among 250 high schools in the state.

In other news, the district’s math and reading specialists gave a lengthy but enthusiastic report detailing their recent efforts to revamp instruction in the elementary schools as well as the Title I reading program in the Luce and Hansen schools.

The common denominator in both programs is the constant evaluation of students to determine proficiency levels and using data to chart a student’s progress.

Over a three-year period, the committee has spent nearly $450,000 to adopt and implement the “Journeys” English Language Arts curriculum.

According to the reading specialists’ report, “There is a consistent instruction and assessment program across all three elementary schools. Data is showing students are leaving kindergarten and grade 1 with much higher reading levels and students are sent to the middle schools with the same standards having learned at all three elementary schools. The reading specialists (Stacey Mann, Amanda Walsh, Erin Hagens, and reading tutors Donna Malliaros and Kerry Curley) are tracing progress in English Language Arts for every student in all elementary schools.”

Math specialists Susan Brass, Maryann Biedermann, and Kerri Falzone noted that the curriculum has been impacted by the state’s adoption of the Mathematics Common Core program, which demands a greater understanding of concept, procedure, and mastery at each grade level.

Initially, grades 1 and 2 have been most affected with a new emphasis on quantities, time, money and measurement. The group of math specialists is now rewriting curriculum and adding supplemental materials in grades 3-5. The specialists are working with middle school math advisor Nancy Dobbins and CHS math department coordinator Dr. Michael Curry to align math content for grades 1-12.

The math staff realized there was a misalignment of the prior program (Everyday Math) to the Common Core standards, and with the assistance of Curriculum Director Jen Henderson, they have identified “enVision Math” as the best option going forward. They plan to train first and second grade teachers in May with implementation for grades 3-5 coming in 2014-15.

Also on Thursday, Elaine McCarthy, social studies department coordinator at the Galvin Middle School, gave her last department update before her retirement and took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of citizenship and community engagement.

Although she said that conceptually in society, social studies has declined in importance, she believes it is still very important to all students. “I believe the goal of social studies is understanding freedom and democracy,” McCarthy said. “It is where you instill ideals and principles, respect for others, and develop a sense of community and learn how you measure values.”

“That’s why at the Galvin we have done things like having a Martin Luther King Assembly, Memorial Day, have speakers from our American Legion, have mock presidential candidate debates, Civil War reenactments, and try to be an active participant in the community,” she said.

Following McCarthy’s presentation, CHS social studies coordinator Pat Connor gave an update of the high school program, where the emphasis has been on the development of students’ argumentative and analytical skills. He also highlighted the department’s expanded course offerings, including the addition of philosophy and AP psychology. Connor said he will be working with Henderson to replace the world history textbook, which he believes is outdated, having been printed in 1999. Both are looking into the price of an online edition.

In other news:

* The School Department is asking parents of grade 6 and 9 students to submit residency recertification forms by June 10.

* Granatino highlighted two upcoming events at CHS: The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Expo on May 20 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. and the district-wide art show May 20-23 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

* The CHS Alumni Association recently donated $4,000 for a projector to be used in the school’s library.

* The committee has given permission for the CHS math team to travel to Penn State to participate in a national math competition.

* CHS student representative Ben Wiseman reported that more than 40 CHS seniors are participating in the Externship Program, using the last few weeks of the school year to work in a vocational field while earning academic credit.