Schools will ask for money in Feb.
Published on December 12th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - While a tentative date for a Special Town Meeting this winter has been set, an exact dollar amount of the article sponsored by the School Committee will likely not be determined until just days before the meeting.
According to School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly, if all goes well with the bid process for renovation of the Robin Hood and Colonial Park Schools, then a Feb. 11 Town Meeting will be called and voters will be asked then to fund project overruns for the elementary school rebuilding project.
At this point, that figure is reported to be upwards of $5 million.
In 1997, Town Meeting approved a figure of $39.8 million for the project. Now, it is clear that that is not enough, but until the bids are in to complete the last two schools in the project (which has already seen complete rebuilding of the South and Central Schools), it is too early to say with certainty how much more is needed.
Already it is felt that timing will be tight on the renovation projects. The School Committee's plan is for construction of both schools to run concurrently with a target reopening date for both of September 2003.
Resolution of soil contamination at the site of the new Central School caused that project to run behind schedule and overbudget. Higher than anticipated construction costs also pushed the price tag up.
The final two renovation projects are now facing a 12-15 month construction schedule. Ideally, Connelly said, 18-months is desirable.
According to Connelly, renovating both schools at the same time is beneficial to the town for a variety of reasons.
Construction costs continue to escalate, he said, and locking into bids for both projects now should be less costly than addressing one project now and the other in a couple of years when costs are likely to rise again.
In addition, the Colonial Park School, which at the outset of the building project was intended to be the fourth and final school addressed, is the smallest school, currently consisting of just six classrooms. That student body has moved into the old Central School with the Robin Hood School population. If the two projects were done separately, the school department would have to keep the large, old Central School up and running for just 200 students in the final construction phase.
"We're trying to be cost efficient for the town," Connelly said.
But Franklin Street resident John DeGeorge questions why the School Committee decided against the original plan to address the Robin Hood School next and following that, renovate the Colonial Park School.
The South and Central School projects totalled about $23 million, leaving $17 million for the Robin Hood and Colonial Park Schools.
DeGeorge told The Independent that he believes the School Committee should not go to Town Meeting in February and instead continue with its original plan by using the money available to renovate Robin Hood School. Following that, it would be clear what money would be left over to address Colonial Park and then a decision could be made regarding funding that project.
"I am not opposed to the schools," but the town should go forward with it "step by step ... as prudently as we can," DeGeorge said.
Connelly, however, maintains that the School Committee's plan and the Town Meeting request in February is in the town's best interests.
In other news, recent moving costs for the elementary schools came in considerably higher than budgeted. Since the new Central School opened later than planned, professional movers were hired and overtime costs for school staff were incurred.
In order to stay on schedule for meeting deadlines and staying on target with state reimbursement schedules, three school populations were moved over a period of two weeks. Connelly reported to the School Committee last month that the School Building Committee has agreed to help cover the overruns in moving expenses.
Connelly also praised high school students who pitched in and helped with the move. After two days of moving boxes, the high schoolers "were a welcome sight."
A dedication ceremony for the new Central School is scheduled for Jan. 26. The library/media center will be dedicated to the late Joanne Harriman.
Harriman was an active member of the Stoneham community who served Stoneham as a teacher and a historian. She died in April of this year.
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!