Millis officials outline timeline, costs and tax impacts for school building override

The Millis Finance Committee on Oct. 8 heard detailed briefings from project staff and the school building committee on the proposed middle-high school renovation and addition, including the two-step approval process and estimated tax effect on homeowners.

Craig Schultz, a project representative, said the town must first approve an appropriation at town meeting on Nov. 10 and then voters must approve a debt-exclusion ballot question on Dec. 8 to raise taxes to pay for the work. "We need to pass town meeting, and then we need to pass at the ballot on December 8," Schultz said.

The project team presented a financing summary that shows the town would need to provide about $56,100,000 and the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) is expected to reimburse roughly $67,600,000 under the current draft contract; the MSBA maximum reimbursement listed in the draft warrant language is $68,250,000. "The state's going to give us $67,600,000 and we have to spend $56,100,000," Schultz said. He added the MSBA reimbursement percentage in this case is unusually high—about 54 percent of eligible costs.

The timetable presented calls for enabling work and design to begin after the Dec. 8 vote, construction to start in the first quarter of 2027 and substantial completion in the second quarter of 2029. Bonding is expected in fiscal 2030; officials said the tax increase would likely take effect with the FY30 tax year beginning…