Southwick schools must wait
By HOPE E. TREMBLAY
Staff writer
SOUTHWICK – Selectman Arthur Pinell updated the board and audience at last night’s meeting on the state of the school renovation project.
Last week, the board met with Superintendent John Barry and members of the school committee to discuss next steps after a debt exclusion for the$72 million project failed. Barry said the district was required to send a letter about the vote to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) outlining reasons for the failure and plans to remedy the project.
Pinell said last night the letter was sent and now, everyone just has to wait.
“We are all in the position to wait and hear back from the MSBA,” said Pinell, adding that a meeting with the school committee and MSBA is likely to take place soon.
“And I think a selectman can attend that meeting in Boston, as well,” he said.
Pinell said the board remains committed to moving forward and supporting a project for the schools.
“We tried to expedite the process a week ago and now we’re dealing with the MSBA timeline,” said Pinell.
The board discussed that the last opportunity to put a project question on a ballot could be in early April, according to the MSBA timeline. However, the letter Barry sent does ask for a grant extension.
“We have to move quickly, but we’re moving as quickly as we can,” said Pinell. “I expect this will be on our agenda as we move ahead.”
Southwick defeated the ballot question while Granville and Tolland passed the question. The MSBA promised 60 percent reimbursement of the project, which included major repairs, replacements and renovations to three of the district’s four schools.
Hope E. Tremblay can be reached at [email protected]
