Town needs additional $4.2 M to finish schools
Published on June 13th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - When residents were asked to fund the school department's massive elementary school rebuilding project through a debt exclusion, back in 1997, they weighed the pros and cons, as is necessary with any big item purchase. The price tag of nearly $40 million was a high one, and the decision for many taxpayers was not easy an easy one.
Yet, after considerable debate on the issue, the majority of Town Meeting voters decided that rebuilding the public schools was necessary in order for the town's children to get a good education and ultimately gave its blessing. The state would reimburse the town 63 percent of the project cost over time.
Now, with the project less than half complete, the School Building Committee (SBC) announced last Wednesday in a joint meeting with the School Committee, Board of Selectmen and with members of the Finance and Advisory Board, that the $39.8 million appropriated by Town Meeting is not enough and another $4.2 million is needed to finish the job.
According to SBC Chairman Dan Hogan, there are several reasons for the overage, including costly changes in building and environmental regulations, escalating construction costs and higher interest rates.
Another impact to the plan has been the costs incurred in the environmental clean up of the new Central School site and the South School site, only some of which were reimbursable through the state.
One thing that has helped the town cost-wise regarding the project is an earlier-than-projected state reimbursement schedule which has lessened the tax impact from what was originally estimated.
"It would have been a large impact on taxes this year if we did not get the (state) money early," Hogan said.
Since the town voted to fund the project through a debt exclusion, higher taxes through fiscal year 2008 will pay the bills. Taxes have been projected to rise significantly through next year, peak in fiscal year 2003, then slowly decrease.
Now the additional $4.2 million is projected to add to that burden each year beginning in 2003, with the highest increase in fiscal year 2004 ranging from about $60 more for a $200,000 home to approximately $100 more on a $350,000 home, based on numbers provided by acting Town Administrator Ron Florino.
At this point, according to Hogan, the SBC's plan is to go out to bid in December on the two remaining schools, the Robin Hood and Colonial Park.
The SBC is hopeful that residents will understand its predicament and get out their wallets once again.
And what if Town Meeting rejects the request?
"That's an unanswerable question at this point," said Hogan.
Without the additional $4.2 million, there would still be enough money to proceed with plans for the third school in the project, the Robin Hood School. Beyond that, the school department would have to make decisions about what to do about the final school project, the Colonial Park School.
Wednesday's meeting was an open one, though not televised. The SBC posted the meeting back in April, however the School Committee and Board of Selectmen posted just days before, on June 1 and June 4, respectively. The only other citizen in attendance was Franklin Street resident John DeGeorge.
DeGeorge spoke to the Independent about the impact the additional money is likely to have on many residents.
"It's killing the seniors."
"We took care of the kids," he said, alluding to the 1997 Town Meeting approval, but stated that with the project now looking for millions more, "It's gotten out of hand...It's like our own Big Dig."
A separate issue that taxpayers will need to keep in mind is that of the Middle School Feasibility study, the results of which were presented at the May Town Meeting. It has been stated that $30 million should take care of rebuilding that school. Although this would be a separate project from the elementary school rebuilding program, and not within the scope of the SBC, it is an outstanding issue that may require residents to break out their checkbooks once again.
The request for the additional $4.2 is expected to be made in the form of a warrant article for the October Town Meeting.
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