A debt exclusion for a revised $70 million school project was passed by Southwick voters Tuesday, making School Superintendent Dr. John D. Barry happy and looking to move forward Wednesday morning.
“Obviously, it’s been a long effort to try to get something done for the schools,” Barry said. “I am delighted with the result.”
Barry gave much credit to parents and community members who supported the project for turning around many of the original “no” votes.
Southwick voters defeated the debt exclusion for the project during a special election in January. The towns of Granville and Tolland, part of the regional school district, passed the first vote and did not need to vote the second time around. Southwick voters, in large part, said the cost of the $72 million project was simply too much.
The original project was set to cost the average Southwick taxpayer about $400 annually for the life of the 25-year loan. The revised project approved this week comes with a price tag voters found more palatable – $23 million to the town – which is about $209 per year for the average taxpayer.
The overall cost of the project was reduced by $2 million due to cuts in the plans, including some paving and new playground equipment. In addition, both the schools and town agreed to reduce annual capital spending and defer those funds normally set aside for capital expenses to the cost of the project. A lower, more realistic bond rate of three percent was used, and the Massachusetts School building Authority, the state group that reimburses towns for school projects, offered an extra incentive if financing for the revised project passed.
One of the most vocal opponents to the project, Darrell E. Cass, was elected to the School Committee in the May 8 election. Cass defeated incumbent Charles Condron, a Democrat whose name was not on the ballot because of a mix-up, for the three-year seat.
Cass said yesterday he was having a quiet day at home and wanted to thank his supporters.
“Thanks to all who voted for me and offered words of encouragement that kept me going against this administration,” said Cass.
Cass said he has been working with Barry for several years on green initiatives, including solar power and wind power, for the schools. He said this week he hopes bylaws he wrote around those programs would pass at the May 15 Town Meeting.
“I hope those programs can be included in the schools,” Cass said.
In addition to moving forward with those green programs, Cass said one of his first tasks as a committee member will be to look into the current electricity contract for the schools, an area Cass has said could be improved with major cost reductions.
Now that the debt exclusion hurdle has been passed, Barry said the next step is to regroup.
“We need to get the School Building Committee together and communicate with the MSBA,” said Barry.
“The work immediately in front of us includes getting into more specific design and getting documents ready for bid.”
Barry said this process could take a year.
“What we have is a schematic design and we need to now put details on paper,” Barry said.
While there is still much work to be done, Barry said there was a “good mood” in the air throughout the schools Wednesday.
The project includes reworking the current high school into a combined middle and high school. An addition would be included to create a middle school wing at the front of the existing building, with shared spaces in the center and the high school classrooms at the back of the building. Updated science labs are part of the renovation at the schools, as well as special education rooms, office and meeting space, and classrooms. There will be major replacement of Powder Middle School systems, including heating and window replacement. Powder Mill is set to become an intermediate level school, while Woodland Elementary will remain a school for students through grade three.
Residents have questioned why the schools were allowed to get to such a state of disrepair that he MSBA deemed it one of the neediest in the Commonwealth, but Barry has pointed out that the needs are beyond fixing and repair and are now about replacement. He also said the state has different requirements about space per student than it did when the schools were built.
“Class size is not the issue,” said Barry during one of several information sessions held in the past two months, “it’s about the square footage and space per student, which includes things like storage space and meeting rooms.”
Barry said there is a difference in standards between what the state requires and what people think is needed. He has also pointed out that once a certain amount of items are replaced or renovated, the Americans with Disabilities act kicks-in and the entire building must be brought up to code.
“It’s a hard point for some people to get,” he said.
The current Transitional School Committee will continue to meet through the end of June, said Barry. The new Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School Committee will officially take over July 1.
