State bumps schools in ranking
Published on September 16th, 1998
STONEHAM, MA - If the state has its way, Stoneham may have four new elementary schools a lot sooner than it planned.
Duncan McClelland from Earl R. Flansburgh & Associates, the architectural firm designing the new schools, recently reported to the School Building Commit-tee that the state's priority list has Stoneham ranked for funding sooner than originally anticipated.T his prioritization may leave the town with the potential situation of renovating the last two schools in the project concurrently.
McClelland reported that in the past couple of years, the state has allocated approximately $32 million per year to school building projects. If this trend continues, he stated, next year's fund allocation will take the state through number 43 on its list. South School, at number 78, will, therefore, likely be funded in the year 2000.
According to McClelland, the state has stipulated that those projects funded in one year will actually receive their money the following year. In addition, once funded, construction must begin within one year from that date.
Pursuant to this schedule, South School should have state funds allocated in the year 2000. Construction, therefore must begin by that date one year later.
"Obviously, that's not a problem," stated McClelland, since actual demolition is slated to begin this fall.
With Central, Robin Hood and Colonial Park Schools ranked 98, 108 and 114, respectively, on the state's list, the problem arises, McClelland said, when dating for the last school is reviewed.
Following the state's logic, it appears that funding for Colonial Park School could possibly come through in 2001, with the start of construction scheduled in 2002 or 2003 at the latest. This would translate into a building schedule 13-26 months earlier than the town had estimated, with Robin Hood and Colonial Park renovations possibly taking place at the same time.
McClelland reported that an analysis of all the numbers, including cash flow and bond analysis, would be required by Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting. The upside to this potential turn of events is that the town may experience an inflation savings of up to $800,000 by building Colonial Park two years earlier.
Nutting stated that the funding schedule for the project had been spread out every two years to yield as smooth an effect on property taxes as possible. Building Colonial Park earlier would likely put a spike in individual property taxes for a given year and then smooth out again when the state money is received.
The other issue regarding building Colonial Park early, stated McClelland, involves the relocation of those students. Once the new Central School is built, the current plan is to utilize the old building for transitional space for the remaining schools during their renovations. The new timing could result in Robin Hood and Colonial Park School students being displaced at the same time.
However, committee member Maureen Solely stated that the old Central School building would be able to accommodate both student bodies if needed, especially since the number of fourth and fifth graders at Robin Hood will decrease once the new South School opens. South Schools fourth and fifth graders have been transferred to Robin Hood for the past few years due to space considerations in the old South School building.
School Superintendent Joseph Connelly raised the possibility of renovating some parts of school with students still there, thereby minimizing the number of students displaced at one time.
"It's much cleaner to get them all out," stated McClelland, adding that such phasing of the renovation will likely add to the overall cost.
Another possibility that the town could consider, though one that is not very popular with the state, according to Flansburg representative David Soleau, would be removing Colonial Park from the funding list for a period of time so that its funding is not allocated as early.
Last week, School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly advised the School Committee of the ranking of Stoneham schools on the state's list. He stated that while the town is very pleased all four elementary school projects have officially made the list, logistically it would be a challenge to renovate two schools at the same time. He therefore would be in favor of repositioning Colonial Park to the end of the funding list, thereby pushing off its funding allocation for another year and keeping more in line with the schedule the town had anticipated.
The committee agreed to investigate the two options and to work with Nutting in reviewing the numbers.
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