GRANVILLE – Voters overwhelmingly approved the sole article at a special town meeting last night.
With a vote of 102-22, Granville voters agreed to pay its portion of a project to renovate the Woodland Elementary School, Powder Mill Middle School and Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School, all in Southwick. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) agreed to fund approximately 60 percent of the $72 million project once Granville joined the regional school district. The three towns will pay a portion of the remaining $30 million based on enrollment.
Granville residents arguably have the most to gain by joining the district and utilizing the schools. Its K-8 school, Granville Village School, has suffered from declining enrollment in recent years and costs to run the school have increased. Select Board Chairman Richard C. Woodger the costs would only continue to rise.
“We won’t have any control over it,” Woodger told the more than 125 members of the audience last night before the vote. “Labor, health and energy costs are going up.”
Woodger said he believes Granville “will make out better this way than if we go it alone.”
School Superintendent Dr. John Barry fielded questions about the fate of Granville Village School and said the school is in need of some repair, which will be taken care of next year with budgeted capital funds that will not be needed at the other three schools because of the renovations. Repairs needed to the Village School include a new roof, exterior doors, window replacement, drainage work and upgrades to the playground.
Barry was asked if and when the seventh and eighth grade at the school would join with their Southwick and Tolland peers at the proposed combined middle and high school. Barry said that was not clear yet and he wanted to be sensitive to Granville students who will have many changes in the coming years.
Barry said the town of Granville would see a $30,000-$50,000 reduction in expenses once the school is part of the regional district. Voters approved the proposition2.5 override last night, but because of the savings the town will incur, residents will not have an increase in taxes to fund the debt exclusion.
Finance Committee Chairman Ted Sussmann said there is no guarantee what could happen in another 15 years, and approving the override gives residents the assurance that if they have to pay something in the future, the amount is already set.
In order for the school project to move forward, all three towns must approve the article by a two-thirds vote at special town meetings in all three towns. Southwick’s special town meeting is tonight and Tolland’s is tomorrow.
In addition, all three towns must approve a ballot question in three separate town elections on Jan. 31.
If any town does not approve the measure at any time, the project does not move forward.
“Any no vote kills the project permanently,” said Barry.
Barry said the project in necessary because of overcrowding and repair needs at all three schools. Once complete, the project would bring all schools to code and they will meet the space and education needs as outlined by the MSBA.
