PHILLIPSTON — Members of the Phillipston Memorial Elementary School Renovations Committee were invited to update the public and the town’s Selectboard on their efforts to determine just how much work must be done to bring the school into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, other building codes, and to generally update the more than five-decades-old school.
Before the committee’s presentation, however, Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Flynn presented a letter from Narragansett Regional School District Superintendent Chris Casavant detailing cuts that will likely be made if voters from Templeton and Phillipston once again opt to shave approximately $200,000 from the $19.7 million FY20 budget recommended by the district School Committee.
A third district-wide town meeting has been scheduled for Oct. 22, giving voters the chance to approve the $19.7 million educational budget the school committee describes as “bare bones,” or once again opt for the $19.5 million spending package approved at the first two district-wide meetings.
If the lower figure is adopted, Flynn said, Casavant “is talking about transferring kindergarten and first-grade students from Phillipston’s elementary school to Templeton’s elementary school, and getting rid of some positions here, and the high school principal, and some academic supplies to cut their budget by, according to this (letter), about $304,000.”
Finance Committee Co-Chair Tom Specht told the Selectboard and the Renovation Committee (of which he is also a member) he had just come from the NRSD School Committee meeting and that that panel had again voted to recommend the higher figure to the upcoming town meeting.
Renovation Committee Chair Dan Sanden said, “We were going along pretty well, and then suddenly the superintendent seemed to lose interest in backing (PMES). First, we heard he was going to change the whole configuration of the school – he was going to put just preschool and kindergarten kids over here – and it wouldn’t be a grade school any longer. The next thing we heard was that he had suggested that in order to balance the budget he would close the school. So, know we’re asking ourselves ‘what is going to happen? What are we going to use the school for?”
Sanden said that, regardless of what the building is used for, it will need a new roof. That’s a ‘gimme,’” he said. Sanden also said the committee decided to see what other upgrades need to be considered, particularly if the town will need to borrow money for the roof anyway.
“We hired an architectural firm about a year and a half ago,” said committee member Rick Moulton. “They did a very comprehensive study for us. They reconfigured the building, re-did blueprints. One of the big flies in the ointment, to me, is that we cannot spend more than 30 percent of the assessed value of that building over a 36-month period. The building – and land – was assessed at $1.6 million. That put us at, roughly, about $550,000 we were going to be able to spend before the ADA kicked in. Then, God knows what that will cost.”
Moulton said three quotes on a new roof, depending on the estimated life of the new roof, ranged from $170,000 to $470,000.”
“I don’t want to get into school politics, right now,” Moulton continued, “but Dr. Casavant’s intent has never been to close down Phillipston as a school. It will always be a school.”
The committee seemed to agree it will be difficult to put together definitive plans for PMES with some certainty regarding the future use of the school.
Said committee member Bernie Malouin, “We don’t want to go and put a roof on something we’re going to be ripping apart in five years.”
It was agreed that the Renovation Committee will continue to work on a final report, which will include recommendations regarding what projects for updating the school should take priority. It’s hoped the proposals will be ready for presentation to voters at the 2020 annual town meeting.
ReplyDeleteDirectly out of the Regional Agreement.
Each of the leases shall contain provisions authorizing the
regional school district to improve, alter, remodel or modernize any of the leased
buildings at its own expense. No rental shall be charged to the district by any of
the member towns; however, the Committee shall bear all costs for insurance,
2
The Otter River School is now the Templeton Town Hall and the Primary School Building has been sold.
10
Regional District Agreement File: AA-E 10 of 18
maintenance and repair, utilities and other services; provided however that any
single necessary repair or maintenance project to be undertaken in any fiscal
year at an estimated or actual cost in excess of $5,000 shall be considered a
capital cost and paid solely and entirely by the Town in which the building is
located.
Why is this School Building not up to code? From were I sit its soley due to the lack of concern on the School Committee for the actual children.
See I think when the School Committee says "it's all for the children" they really mean, "Don't look, just trust us"
I read this and hear .....The School Committee is sending 5-10 yr olds into a building that does not meet safety code, has a leaky roof and doesn't meet ADA codes established in 1990.
This is literally the responsibility of the School Committee.
I understand why the residents of Phillipston want to keep their school, but how can the expect to send children into that building that is not ADS compliant ? Why wasn't this building improved over the years ? I thought that it was the law ? At any rate, this conflict has not done either community any good. The bait and switch makes me truly wonder if Casavant really has a real plan at all.
ReplyDeleteHi Bev-No bait and switch-When asked what would need to be cut when it was a million dollars: My answer: Elm Schools would need to be combined PMES would be emptied not closed (great time to do renovations etc.) Whenever the question came up regarding cutting $$ ( at whatever amount) my answer/solution has always been combine the Elementary Schools ( in one configuration, grade level or another).
DeleteI have repeated "This District cannot afford two K-5 elementary schools" at least a dozen times in open session.
In terms of the building needing repairs- The District recognized the need to replace the roof close to 2 1/2 years ago- The Town of Phillipston created a building committee that has had a feasibility study ( initial ) and this Spring appropriated funds at their town meeting-but very little has been done by that committee. My personal opinion is that once the study was completed they gained a better understanding of not only the cost of the upgrades but the impact of being forced to address the various ADA compliance issues once the costs of those improvements (roof) hit the cost threshold to mandate the ADA "fixes".
In closing Bev, there was a plan. There is and always was a plan. Unfortunately very few folks took what I reported out almost 2 years ago seriously. Yet-here we are. Just so we are clear- I hate putting it that way, but the reorg committee did a great job looking beyond town politics... A meaningful discussion about combining ( in some way) the Elm schools needed to take place ( 2 years ago) but both Towns kicked this can down the road. We are now out of road.
Thats just it Bev. Why aren't templelton and Phillipston equally and jointly upset at the incomplete, partially presented budget of NRSD?
ReplyDeleteThe School Committee has decided that you, tha taxpayers of Templeton and phillipston only get to see part of the budget. The 19.7 million. Your dont get to see the total budget of $22.3 million.
This allows them to shuffle funds back and forth and say things like "we cut $600k" when actually they shifted $298k to the "other side of the budget"
This is the "left pocket, right pocket" I refer to.
I feel the taxpayers of phillipston and templeton should be able to see the entire budget, not just parts chosen by the staff.
I've been to many budget meetings and I just learned that we have 18 people working for the school that I had never heard about. Look at our budget book. Thats the mess we get from NRSD to justify a $20.3 million dollar ask from the Town. Numbers contradict throughout the document. To me it shows the arrogance associated with the approval process in the past. Just give um a number, they have to pass it or we'll have them repeat, repeat, repeat until they get it right or .............................F*** em all